| Communication failures are something which service | | | | agency's customer service department all he got was |
| oriented companies cannot afford because effective | | | | a pertinent reply that the service advisor was on an |
| communication is considered a virtue; especially when | | | | emergency leave and had not left proper instructions; |
| there is a situation of the company officials grappling | | | | neither he had deputed any responsible person to |
| with a situation of a customer complaint. For the | | | | manage the show in his absence. The agency offered |
| success of a service operation; it is imperative that the | | | | a complimentary car wash to the customer and said |
| communication between every individual involved in the | | | | that they would get back to him with the details of the |
| service delivery process and the target audience i.e. | | | | corrective action that they are taking. |
| the customer should be absolutely crystal clear. Any | | | | The result of the communication failure on the part of |
| ambiguity or miscommunication can be fatal and can | | | | the service advisor was that one the customer had to |
| lead to a disaster; resulting in commercial losses for the | | | | suffer financial losses in addition to the mental trauma |
| team or the organization. | | | | and he sweared not to deal with the concerned |
| Communication failures are the single most common | | | | agency in future and even contemplated selling his |
| reason because of which customers tend to shift their | | | | new car and switching over to another competing |
| loyalties to other service providers. The other grave | | | | brand. |
| impact that communication failures tend to have on the | | | | The agency on its part could have taken a few simple |
| service delivery process of a service provider is that it | | | | steps which could have averted the situation to blow |
| leaves a very negative impact in the end users mind. | | | | out of proportion in the first place. |
| No matter how hard the service delivery team might | | | | # the service advisor should not have in the first place |
| try and salvage the situation which has resulted due to | | | | committed on a tight timelines if he would not have |
| communication failure the customer's expectations of | | | | been able to manage the delivery |
| your mending the situation also tends to get higher and | | | | # while proceeding on an emergency leave; the |
| higher. It might be the case that whatever efforts are | | | | service advisor or the agency should have appointed |
| being made to satisfy the irate customer would have | | | | a responsible person who would have filled in till the |
| been appropriate in the normal scenario, but in an irate | | | | time the person would have come back. |
| situation; the customers also tend to get more fussy | | | | # worst to worst; when the customer complained |
| and egoistic and would not accept anything that is | | | | about failing to meet the promised delivery timelines; |
| offered as a remedial action from the service provider. | | | | they would have arranged for an alternate vehicle |
| The service delivery function should be such that it | | | | which would have enabled the customer to proceed |
| eradicates all possibilities of an irate situation which | | | | on his planned business trip. This would have created |
| might come up as a result of a communication failure. | | | | that WOW effect in the customers mind as the |
| It is often the case that the perception of an | | | | agency would have exceeded the customer |
| improvement effort often lags far behind the reality of | | | | expectation levels and he would also have understood |
| that improvement in a customer mind. Let us share a | | | | the gravity of the emergency situation. |
| live example for understanding the situation in a better | | | | "BUT NOTHING OF THIS HAPPENED AND THE END |
| way: | | | | RESULT WAS A UNHAPPY AN IRATE |
| A gentleman had recently bought a brand new car | | | | CUSTOMER; ALL BECAUSE OF COMMUNICATION |
| from a newly opened car retail showroom in his city. | | | | FAILURE" |
| There was another retailer who was selling the same | | | | As a normal precedent; most of service delivery |
| brand of cars in the city, but the customer chose to go | | | | companies advertise very heavily about their customer |
| with the new retail agency because he was | | | | service focus and the extent to which they can go to |
| impressed and quite satisfied with their customer | | | | satisfy a customer. They often fail to ensure that the |
| service delivery process. In fact because of this | | | | key people involved in the service delivery function are |
| reason itself, the customer had also suggested the | | | | fully apt at providing what they are claiming. Proper |
| new agency to his known accomplishes who were | | | | emphasis on training and hiring the right people with |
| also exploring options for buying a new car. During the | | | | correct attitude towards customers is missing which |
| course of his association with the new agency; the | | | | results in incidents which leave a very bad taste in the |
| customer had to undergo a harrowing experience and | | | | customer's mouth. |
| his entire perception of the new agency changed. He | | | | The question comes in that in such a situation what do |
| had given his car for regular servicing and there were | | | | the service providers do to correct the situation and |
| a few problems which he had pointed out to the | | | | win back the customers confidence in their services. |
| service advisor to be rectified. The customer also | | | | To start with: |
| checked with the service provider on the car delivery | | | | Analyze & categorize customer grievances: show |
| timelines as he was supposed to make an outstation | | | | some empathy towards the grieving customer. try to |
| business trip. The service advisor committed that the | | | | analyze the reasons of the slip up that happened and |
| car will be delivered in a time which will be much | | | | how quickly corrective actions can be taken to ensure |
| before the planned outstation business trip. | | | | that the situation does not go out of hand. |
| When the promised delivery date came there was no | | | | Inform customers of the proposed changes steps |
| communication from the agencies side, which | | | | that you intend to take: make the customer a part of |
| according to the customer's prior experience was | | | | the corrective action. Ask what he wants and share |
| very unlike of their process. After waiting for some | | | | what you can deliver. Turning a cold shoulder towards |
| time the customer tried to get in touch with the | | | | the customer is something that should be avoided. |
| concerned service advisor with whom he was not | | | | Share the progress with customers regularly: if the |
| able to establish contact. He tried calling the agency | | | | corrective action process is time consuming; share the |
| numbers but the customer service agent who took the | | | | same with the customer and make him aware that |
| call after making the customer wait for good ten | | | | efforts are being made to resolve the problem and |
| minutes replied that the concerned service advisor | | | | come up with an amicable solution. no communication |
| would only be able to share the delivery status of the | | | | post communication failure situation is even worse. |
| car. The service advisor on his part was absent from | | | | Inform when the changes are complete: update |
| job and there was no other responsible person who | | | | the customer with the corrective actions that you |
| was supposed to fill in for the missing executive. The | | | | have taken and ask whether he would like to suggest |
| customer had to make numerous frantic calls to the | | | | further changes to enhance the process. |
| agency to know the status of the cars delivery, but all | | | | Try and make a personalized n one to one |
| went in vain. In this entire ordeal; the car was not | | | | contact with customers: personalized service and one |
| delivered on the promised time and the customer in | | | | on one interaction with the customers is the best tool |
| the hope of getting his car did not make alternate | | | | especially in tricky situations. |
| travel arrangements. The result was that he was not | | | | Tell the customer that their feedback and |
| able to proceed on his business trip resulting in financial | | | | patronage is very important for you to enhance their |
| losses as he was not able to secure the business | | | | service delivery functions and will help them in future to |
| contract. | | | | avoid communication failure situations. |
| On his complaining about his experience to the | | | | |