Category Archives: Customer Service

Customer Service (C/S) is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a transaction (purchase or return of a product or service). The term C/S is normally construed as a positive e.g. “a lack of C/S was provided…”
C/S should in fact be considered as a measurement tool only e.g. Good, Bad or mediocre C/S.

When Customers ask – how can I help

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This blog has more focus towards B2B  – After recently reading a number of articles on customer service I find there is a plethora of information but often this information is conflicting.  For example there are those that espouse the opinion that by having happy employees you will attain happy customers, others state that happy employees have nothing to do with happy customers.

One claim I read, there was research proving that customer’s who have experienced near perfect after sales customer service are more loyal than those that obtained a perfect product and had no need to contact customer service at all. Then there is the classical, identify your customer, identify what they value and then keep assessing their satisfaction. Does this mean always build in one flaw? (only if your after sales is great).

The quandary I have when reading these articles/thesis is that they are all correct –  sort of, but the proponents all appear absolute (all or nothing). Yes, it is about learning who your customers are and what they want, not being everything to all customers (or, knowing who you do want as a customer), making sure your staff are happy (they may not make your customer happy but at least they will not make them unhappy), and finally work WITH your customer.

After asking the standard question “what can we do for you”, find out how the customer can help you.  They may be doing something just because they always have or think its easiest for you. Discuss with them both side to the relationship there may just be that “A-ha” occasion and everything works better and everyone wins for example delivery sites/times, order timing, etc.

Yes it is all about really finding out:  who you want as a customer, what that customer wants, then what fits best for both – see if the customer can help you, do what you do better !

Reports – do they work for you?

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How often do you see reports that have little meaning or are too ponderous to use, this then makes the reports ineffective, simply because no-one wants to use them.  Then there are the reports that you have been instructed to put together and although they are useful, they have little relevance to your own position or function.  What you need are reports that are concise, relevant and effective.

To design a good report, list the minimum information that is required to manage that part of your business you are reporting on.  Next, find what is the required data to compile this information. And lastly, source the data – where does it come from. Preferably, most of this data is already contained in spreadsheets (or can be imported into one easily).

Now review the source, include other fields that will beef up your report, but ensure it adds value to the report and is not just filler.  If done in excel the report should also include a tab that has the data in pictorial format – graphs! This is where KPIs can be viewed and valid assessments made.

A good report will show trends, both positive and negative, as well as status.  It will also be timely, easy to produce and even easier to read.  This then will allow you to see what is happening, or has the potential to happen, and take the appropriate action.

For all the SMBs and Operations people out there, I have written a brief on ‘Focus’ that may help you design your own reports on Freight, Inventory and Staffing (Operations reporting 101).

Note:
DATA – is raw detail, usually one line of data contains information related to one transaction. Doesn’t tell you much.
INFORMATION: an assortment/combination of data, providing information and trends in simple format.
REPORT: Information in a format that tells a story. Big picture stuff.