| People often ask, "What level of service should we | | | | have a computer problem. Now that you are in our |
| strive to provide? Should we give 'Unbelievable!' | | | | home or office...fix it!" |
| service if our customers are not willing to pay for it?" | | | | One look at his brochure reveals the source of the |
| My answer is definitely no! You can measure | | | | problem and the need to measure customer service |
| customer service needs to set a reasonable level to | | | | levels and clearly define them. It reads: "Enter the digital |
| provide. Don't go to the moon on service if your | | | | age! Modernize your life! Capture the computer |
| business model on the moon doesn't work. No sense | | | | advantage!" |
| "serving yourself to death," bending over backwards | | | | Plenty of glittering encouragements to buy, but no clear |
| but going broke in the process. | | | | and detailed listing of the actual service promise. To |
| You need to measure customer service costs to | | | | eliminate the problem, this company must clarify and |
| determine what level of service your business can | | | | specify what services they do provide...and what |
| provide, and match that with what your customers are | | | | services they do not after they measure customer |
| willing to pay. | | | | service levels and determine their own parameters. |
| Take note: customers rarely put voluntary limits on | | | | For example: |
| their service expectations. That's why making clear | | | | We provide A, B and C. |
| service agreements is so important to you...and your | | | | We do not provide X, Y or Z in the normal service |
| customers. | | | | package. |
| You must communicate clearly what you promise to | | | | We can arrange X, Y and Z for you at an additional |
| provide, and what you are not promising, too! When | | | | charge, or |
| you measure customer service make sure to set the | | | | We have associates who can do X, Y and Z. Reliable |
| limits and clearly define them to keep clients satisfied. | | | | referrals are provided on request. |
| The manager of a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) | | | | Key Learning Point |
| approached me with this relevant complaint that | | | | Take the time to measure customer service value. |
| demonstrates the need to measure customer service | | | | Then be sure the service agreements you make with |
| levels: | | | | your customers and internal partners are complete |
| His staff go into customers' homes and offices to | | | | and clear. Misunderstanding can lead to disappointment |
| install modems and communications software. They | | | | once delivery of your service is underway. |
| train their customers to access new e-mail accounts | | | | Action Steps |
| and surf the World Wide Web. | | | | Check with your customers and staff. Find out where |
| Before his staff can leave, however, office-based | | | | misunderstanding and disagreements arise. Then look |
| customers start asking about unrelated hardware | | | | closely at your proposals, contracts and service level |
| compatibility, new software upgrades and suggestions | | | | agreements. Wherever uncertainty is found, replace it |
| on how to fix non-working printers! | | | | with accuracy, clarity and understanding. Take the time |
| Eager home-based customers insist on help installing | | | | to measure customer service value and define limits |
| new games and joysticks, debugging new versions of | | | | and misunderstandings are less likely to happen. |
| Windows, even assistance repairing their children's | | | | Note: Don't use this principle to avoid regularly |
| Nintendo! | | | | upgrading your service agreements. With technology |
| His staff's explanation that, "We are just an Internet | | | | you may improve the quality of your service without |
| Service Provider, not a computer repair service," seem | | | | increasing your costs. (Your competitors are working |
| to fall upon deaf ears. As far as his customers are | | | | on it now. |
| concerned, "You are the computer people, and we | | | | |