Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Answer Upon - Building Your Infrastructure to Sustain Your Service Strategy
In 1952, Harry Klemfuss saw the need to recognize secretaries for their hard work and dedication. National Secretary’s Day was created on his notion that secretaries are essential to the corporate world. This unofficial holiday is presently celebrated on the last Wednesday in April. During the 1950s the majority of secretaries in the workplace were women. Since then, National Secretary’s Day has been renamed Administrative Professional’s Day. The name was changed to reflect the progression of women in the workplace and the fact that men have taken on administrative roles as well.Modern corporations are realizing the importance of employee recognition and have adopted corporate gifting. Research suggests that corporate gifting increases employee morale and creates a more positive environment in the workplace. While women are still a minority in the corporate realm, many companies are encouraged to adopt Harry Klemfuss’ idea to recognize the importance of women in the office. In recent years, special gifts have been developed in order to recognize the hard work that women contribute to Corporate America. In the past, most business gifts were male influenced. Currently, there exists a unique line of corporate gifts for women called The Reality of Buying Wholesale
In my line of business, I often receive emails and phone calls from people who are just starting their online retail businesses and searching for wholesalers who can give them competitive prices on the latest merchandise from the most popular brand names. While it’s understandable that one would want to sell the latest merchandise from the highest quality, most popular brand names, it’s often an unrealistic goal unless you have a substantial amount of capital to invest in your business.This is not to say that every prospective entrepreneur with the dream of establishing an online retail business should just throw in the towel – quite the contrary. Prospective online retailers need to understand the reality of the consumer goods industry, the abilities that they have based on their capital investment, and then design their business plan accordingly. In my next article, I’ll discuss some excellent options for prospective entrepreneurs with limited capital.But first, let’s look at how some of the most successful companies in the consumer goods market operate their distribution channels. Companies with highly popular brand names have worked hard to establish these brands. Understandably, in order to protect the reputation of their brand names, they often establish strict c
The type of buying experience that you’ll remember and influences you to return to that company. So how many companies did you come up with?
Two points I’d like to make here:
1) I bet it took you awhile before a particular company came to mind. I doubt very much that a flood of companies blitzed your mind when you thought about that question, and
2) I bet the number of companies that you came up with can be counted on one hand…and I’ll bet you’ll have a few fingers left over. The sad reality is, consistently receiving great customer service is the exception, not the norm. So why is that? I can cite many root causes, but without question the biggest one is a lack of an organizational infrastructure.
Customer Service Infrastructure:
A customer service infrastructure is an organizational structure, which includes: systems, processes, policies and procedures that facilitate and support a continuous focus on the customer.
It all starts by building your organization from the customer backwards: not the other way around. An organizational structure that ensures a continuous, relentless and laser-like focus on the customer. An infrastructure is necessary because when it comes to a customer service strategy there is a distinct and marked difference between implementation and execution.
Implementation is all about “getting ready" to launch a strategy, whereby execution is about consistently performing to a desired standard. Take for example a soda promotion at your local convenience store. The implementation phase would include activities such as: ordering the appropriate levels of product, getting promotional signage in place, advertising, perhaps creating a store incentive program, and communicating and training store personnel. Once the soda promotion kicks off, the execution phase kicks in.
Execution involves: ensuring the signage stays fresh (and up!) throughout the duration of the promotion, product displays remain full and attractive, inventory levels are maintained, and most importantly, store employees consistently (there’s that word again) promote and suggest sell the product to every customer every time they come into the store - not sometimes, every time! (*)
Just imagine how much more soda convenience stores would sell if they excelled at the execution phase of the strategy? Good companies implement well, but great companies excel at both implementation and in particular execution. The ability to consistently execute is what separates the great companies from the good companies.
Unfortunately, most companies fail miserably at execution. Why? Because a customer service strategy unlike a product strategy is process driven vs. program, and a process requires a support system to succeed.
Paradigm Shift:
To launch and sustain a successful customer service strategy the first step in the process requires an organization to undertake a drastic paradigm shift. Most organizations are program oriented vs. process. Programs have a start and end date.
Metrics are developed and results are easily tracked. And at the end of the program period you know if it was a success or not because you can clearly see the results. A customer service strategy on the other hand takes time before you can readily see results.
Customer service is a process not a program. And a process requires patience and discipline. Because of this program mentality among many companies, patience and discipline unfortunately is not exactly part of their DNA.
I want to introduce 10-key infrastructure components that are required in order to facilitate, support and sustain a long-term customer service strategy. Noticed I used the words: long term and sustain, not short-term and program.
If you really want your company to stand for great customer service then you must think in terms of process not program.
Customer Service Infrastructure Components:
1. Commitment:
You need to make a conscious decision -
Business cards are often exchanged when business people meet each other. It is a great marketing tool that can be used to advertise your business. In most cases, the company logo, name, phone number, and address will be present on the card, with a list of services that the company offers. With the advent of the internet, many businesses are now adding their email address on the card as well. While business cards used designs that were rather simple in the past, they are now more intricate.Business cards are often presented by sales people when they make visits to potential clients. Even if the potential clients are not interested in the product or service at the moment, giving them a business card will plant the seed that may cause them to use the service at a later time. It can also help a company build word or mouth advertising for their business. The use of business cards has evolved over time. Their use goes back hundreds of years, and they were common in China during the 1500s. Business cards were frequently used by European aristocrats. These cards would eventually become an important form of etiquette, and a number of rules were used for their presentation.The use of business cards by ordinary people is a relatively recent phenomenon. For most of their history, they
Customer Service Infrastructure:
A customer service infrastructure is an organizational structure, which includes: systems, processes, policies and procedures that facilitate and support a continuous focus on the customer.
It all starts by building your organization from the customer backwards: not the other way around. An organizational structure that ensures a continuous, relentless and laser-like focus on the customer. An infrastructure is necessary because when it comes to a customer service strategy there is a distinct and marked difference between implementation and execution.
Implementation is all about “getting ready" to launch a strategy, whereby execution is about consistently performing to a desired standard. Take for example a soda promotion at your local convenience store. The implementation phase would include activities such as: ordering the appropriate levels of product, getting promotional signage in place, advertising, perhaps creating a store incentive program, and communicating and training store personnel. Once the soda promotion kicks off, the execution phase kicks in.
Execution involves: ensuring the signage stays fresh (and up!) throughout the duration of the promotion, product displays remain full and attractive, inventory levels are maintained, and most importantly, store employees consistently (there’s that word again) promote and suggest sell the product to every customer every time they come into the store - not sometimes, every time! (*)
Just imagine how much more soda convenience stores would sell if they excelled at the execution phase of the strategy? Good companies implement well, but great companies excel at both implementation and in particular execution. The ability to consistently execute is what separates the great companies from the good companies.
Unfortunately, most companies fail miserably at execution. Why? Because a customer service strategy unlike a product strategy is process driven vs. program, and a process requires a support system to succeed.
Paradigm Shift:
To launch and sustain a successful customer service strategy the first step in the process requires an organization to undertake a drastic paradigm shift. Most organizations are program oriented vs. process. Programs have a start and end date.
Metrics are developed and results are easily tracked. And at the end of the program period you know if it was a success or not because you can clearly see the results. A customer service strategy on the other hand takes time before you can readily see results.
Customer service is a process not a program. And a process requires patience and discipline. Because of this program mentality among many companies, patience and discipline unfortunately is not exactly part of their DNA.
I want to introduce 10-key infrastructure components that are required in order to facilitate, support and sustain a long-term customer service strategy. Noticed I used the words: long term and sustain, not short-term and program.
If you really want your company to stand for great customer service then you must think in terms of process not program.
Customer Service Infrastructure Components:
1. Commitment:
You need to make a conscious decision -
Data VisualizationData visualization seems to be the trend of 21st century business. Since the internet has taken a leading role in everything from information to advertising to commerce, companies use interactive data visualization to reach out to consumers.Data visualization reaches into every aspect of business. Sales reports, inventory management, financial reports, and more are created with data visualization tools which make information interactive.By interactive, I mean that a user can click on a piece of information displayed in order to learn more details about it. This is called drilling down into an interactive map. Data visualization is created with mapping software and provides real-time, interactive information to users. This brings businesses and consumers together over the internet.Interactive MapSo how does this all come together? The answer is interactive mapping. An interactive map is just that, a visual display that is interactive. Businesses use interactive maps, interactive charts, and other forms of interactive mapping to interact with consumers and with departments within the business.Tracking, reporting, and a myriad of other possibilities are now available to businesses to help them shar
Execution involves: ensuring the signage stays fresh (and up!) throughout the duration of the promotion, product displays remain full and attractive, inventory levels are maintained, and most importantly, store employees consistently (there’s that word again) promote and suggest sell the product to every customer every time they come into the store - not sometimes, every time! (*)
Just imagine how much more soda convenience stores would sell if they excelled at the execution phase of the strategy? Good companies implement well, but great companies excel at both implementation and in particular execution. The ability to consistently execute is what separates the great companies from the good companies.
Unfortunately, most companies fail miserably at execution. Why? Because a customer service strategy unlike a product strategy is process driven vs. program, and a process requires a support system to succeed.
Paradigm Shift:
To launch and sustain a successful customer service strategy the first step in the process requires an organization to undertake a drastic paradigm shift. Most organizations are program oriented vs. process. Programs have a start and end date.
Metrics are developed and results are easily tracked. And at the end of the program period you know if it was a success or not because you can clearly see the results. A customer service strategy on the other hand takes time before you can readily see results.
Customer service is a process not a program. And a process requires patience and discipline. Because of this program mentality among many companies, patience and discipline unfortunately is not exactly part of their DNA.
I want to introduce 10-key infrastructure components that are required in order to facilitate, support and sustain a long-term customer service strategy. Noticed I used the words: long term and sustain, not short-term and program.
If you really want your company to stand for great customer service then you must think in terms of process not program.
Customer Service Infrastructure Components:
1. Commitment:
You need to make a conscious decision -
HEALTHY FIR Sauna Room1.Purify Skin and Lose Weight: light wave exposures can remove excess fat and cellulite, clear toxins, then reach the effect of weight loss, body building, enjoying radiant and youthful skin.2.Relieve Pain: infrared radiant heat saunas produce deep, soothing penetrating heat which can expand capillary vessel, accelerate blood circulation, increase oxygen production, for the relief of arthritis, sore backs, muscle aches and pains.3.Strengthen Body: 1000 calories of heat can be consumed in 30 minutes, equaling to the sweat volume of 10 kilometers running.4.Lose Stress-Relieve Tension: sweet music and harmonious light wave may relieve mental stress and relax absolutely. Enjoy all the amenities, as well as the health wonders provided in sauna.Application fields:一 Family Health care of family ---Enjoying health care in your own personal sauna.二 GYM club Health care of sport---Healthy sauna will bring you a healthy future.三 Bath center Vogue bathing---Light wave sauna is the third generation shower equipment of Europe and U.S.A.四 Beauty center Light wave beauty---A profound revolution in beauty indu
Unfortunately, most companies fail miserably at execution. Why? Because a customer service strategy unlike a product strategy is process driven vs. program, and a process requires a support system to succeed.
Paradigm Shift:
To launch and sustain a successful customer service strategy the first step in the process requires an organization to undertake a drastic paradigm shift. Most organizations are program oriented vs. process. Programs have a start and end date.
Metrics are developed and results are easily tracked. And at the end of the program period you know if it was a success or not because you can clearly see the results. A customer service strategy on the other hand takes time before you can readily see results.
Customer service is a process not a program. And a process requires patience and discipline. Because of this program mentality among many companies, patience and discipline unfortunately is not exactly part of their DNA.
I want to introduce 10-key infrastructure components that are required in order to facilitate, support and sustain a long-term customer service strategy. Noticed I used the words: long term and sustain, not short-term and program.
If you really want your company to stand for great customer service then you must think in terms of process not program.
Customer Service Infrastructure Components:
1. Commitment:
You need to make a conscious decision -
Years ago the phrase was coined, "The customer is always right." But this is not always a true statement, and keeping extremely demanding or troublesome customers may be biting into your profits. When you first started your cleaning business you were no doubt eager to get any paying customer you could get to sign on. But do you have customers whose phone calls you don't want to answer? Or are there cleaning clients on your list that are low profit, yet demanding and take up a lot of your time? Trimming these customers off your list will allow you to spend more time on building up relationships with higher profit margin accounts.Just running a business is tough and stressful. If you have cleaning customers who are never happy, are always complaining, expect you or your employees to do something illegal or unethical, or are just more trouble than they are worth; then it may be time to tell these clients to look for a new cleaning service.It often tends to be smaller accounts that absorb most your time. Keep in mind however, you probably don't want to fire a customer that accounts for 25% or more of your sales or profits unless you have a good lead to fill that vacant spot.So how do you go about "firing" a customer? First take a look at the contract you originally signe
Customer service is a process not a program. And a process requires patience and discipline. Because of this program mentality among many companies, patience and discipline unfortunately is not exactly part of their DNA.
I want to introduce 10-key infrastructure components that are required in order to facilitate, support and sustain a long-term customer service strategy. Noticed I used the words: long term and sustain, not short-term and program.
If you really want your company to stand for great customer service then you must think in terms of process not program.
Customer Service Infrastructure Components:
1. Commitment:
You need to make a conscious decision - you’re either going to be committed and stand for customer service or you’re not. You can’t be half pregnant with a customer service strategy.
Companies who stand for customer service have every fiber of their organization focused on the customer; it’s part of their corporate DNA.
Customer service is their north star providing direction, guidance and dictating behavior within the organization.
2. Appoint a Champion:
You must drive customer service ownership throughout your entire organization: every person at every level.
Ultimately, everyone must own the customer, not just your frontline team who interacts with your customers - everyone! But as you can well imagine, ownership will take time to permeate throughout your organization, and in most cases it can take years. That’s why in the interim, until you achieve customer service nirvana, you need to assign a Champion within your organization to carry the flag, lead the charge, and drive the process.
The individual you assign should have a high-level position that has the respect and clout within your organization to make things happen. The higher the level, the easier the road, because it sends out a strong message to your organization that customer service is important.
3. Identify your Moments of Truth:
Moments of truth or “touch points," are contact points that a customer has with your company.
Customers are constantly making both conscious and unconscious value judgments about each of the moments of truths they encounter. These value judgments are then recorded into a mental report card on your company.
Identify each of your company’s moments of truths: stores, employees, answering the phone, delivery trucks, etc., then develop a strategy around each one that will ensure a consistent world-class customer service experience.
4. Assess: Policies & Procedures – Systems & Processes:
Outward thinking vs. inward: start with the customer and work backwards.
Do your policies and procedures serve the customer or your organizational bureaucracy? Are your policies and procedures customer friendly? Are your systems designed to make it easier for you to do business or for your customers to do business with you? Do your processes put your frontline employees in a position to succeed or fail in the eyes of your customers? (*)
5. Develop Meaningful Metrics:
If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it! Meaningful, meaning those metrics that your frontline employees have direct control or influence over.
Things like: store sales, appearance and retailing, mystery shopper scores, and customer comments are meaningful frontline metrics that drive customer service behavior.
6. Scoreboard your Metrics:
Whatever metrics you decide on, communicate them throughout the entire organization via a visible scoreboard. If your business includes retail stores, purchase one of those large white poster-boards, the kind that kids use for school projects. These white-boards can be purchased at any office supply store.
A scoreboard is critical because it communicates to the employees what is important and how to achieve it. We tell our employees to go out and win, but we tend to keep the rules of how to win and the score a secret. The bosses know what the score is - their scoreboard is the P&L or management reports. Just like in sports, keeping score makes it more: interesting,
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.hubyou.info/article/7522/hubyou-Building-Your-Infrastructure-to-Sustain-Your-Service-Strategy.html">Building Your Infrastructure to Sustain Your Service Strategy</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.hubyou.info/article/7522/hubyou-Building-Your-Infrastructure-to-Sustain-Your-Service-Strategy.html]Building Your Infrastructure to Sustain Your Service Strategy[/url]
Related Articles:
UPS Shipping: Your Package Is In Good Hands
Medical Billing - GX0 Record Fields 28 Through 37
Bookmark it:
|