Customer-Defined Service Standards

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Factors Necessary for Appropriate Service Standards Types of Customer-Defined Service Standards Development of Customer-Defined Service Standards
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Objectives for Chapter 10: Customer-Defined Service Standards

Distinguish between company-defined and customer-defined service standards. Differentiate among hard and soft customer-defined standards and one-time fixes. Explain the critical role of the service encounter sequence in developing customer-defined standards.

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Illustrate how to translate customer expectations into behaviors and actions that are definable, repeatable, and actionable. Explain the process of developing customer-defined service standards. Emphasize the importance of service performance indexes in implementing strategy for service delivery.

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FedEx Service Quality Indicator (SQI)

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Service Standards
Standards are based on the most important customer expectations and reflect the customers view of these expectations.

CustomerDefined Standards CompanyDefined Standards

SOURCES Customer Expectations Customer Process Blueprint Customer Experience Observations SOURCES Productivity Implications Cost Implications Company Process Blueprint Company View of Quality

Customer Service Report Card for Puget Sound Energy

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Counting
Not everything that counts can be counted...and not everything that can be counted, counts.
Albert Einstein

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Standards
HARD STANDARDS AND MEASURES
Things that can be counted, timed, or observed through audits (time, numbers of events)

SOFT STANDARDS AND MEASURES

Opinion-based measures that cannot be observed and must be collected by talking to customers (perceptions, beliefs)

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Examples of Hard Customer-Defined Standards

Examples of Soft Customer-Defined Standards

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Exercise for Creating Customer-Defined Service Standards

Form a group of four people Use your schools undergraduate or graduate program, or an approved alternative Complete the customer-driven service standards importance chart Establish standards for the most important and lowest-performed behaviors and actions Be prepared to present your findings to the class

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Customer-Driven Standards and Measurements Exercise

Service Encounter Customer Requirements Measurements

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Service Quality

What Customers Expect: Getting to Actionable Steps

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Process for Setting Customer-Defined Standards

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Importance/Performance Matrix

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Linkage between Soft Measures and Hard Measures for Speed of Complaint Handling

Example of Customer-Defined Service Standards at Circuit City

Initial Sales Contact with Circuit City in Store
act in a professional and courteous manner ask customer what he or she is looking for
offer to be available when needed if customer not ready

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ask customer several questions about specific needs or wants educate the customer about products in category explain the differences between products (such as TVs) that customer is considering be honest about options and price

Adapted from: John R. DiJulius III (2005), Secret Service, Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service.

Example of Customer-Defined Service Standards at Circuit City

Checkout at Circuit City in Store

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act in a professional and courteous manner probe customer to assure that product meets needs and reduce any anxiety and uncertainty that the customer might feel explain the warranty service that accompanies the product using what is known about the customer, explain the Circuit City customer service agreements that extend the warranty explain the differences between CSA options, being sure to relate them to what the customer needs encourage purchase, and fully explain how to implement CSA
Adapted from: John R. DiJulius III (2005), Secret Service, Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service.

Example of Customer-Defined Service Standards at Circuit City

Post-sale Follow Up

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telephone customer within next 7 days to ask how TV is operating ask if client is ready to schedule first service if client is ready, establish date for first service send out postcard one week in advance of first service call to remind customer and explain what needs to be done

Adapted from: John R. DiJulius III (2005), Secret Service, Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service.

Example of Customer-Defined Service Standards at Circuit City

Annual Follow Up

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send customers reminder cards that they have either used the service or are due for a service call two weeks after mailing card, call customers who have used service and assure that they are satisfied both with product and service call each customer who has not used the service and schedule a maintenance check-up where service provider goes to home and checks and tunes television
Adapted from: John R. DiJulius III (2005), Secret Service, Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service.

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Soft Standards at Toyota in Japan

Standards for salespeople patterned after samurai behaviors:
assume the samurai warriors waiting position by leaning five to ten degrees forward when a customer is looking at a car stand with left hand over right, fingers together and thumbs interlocked, as the samurais did to show they were not about to draw their swords display the Lexus Face, a closedmouth smile intended to put customers at ease

More Soft Standards at Toyota in Japan

Standards for salespeople patterned after samurai behaviors:
when serving coffee or tea, kneel on the floor with both feet together and both knees on the ground bow more deeply to a customer who has purchased a car than a casual window shopper stand about two arms lengths from customers when they are looking at a car and come in closer when closing a deal point with all five fingers to a car doors handle, right hand followed by left, then gracefully open the door with both hands

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Hard and Soft Service Standards at Ford

Appointment available within one day of customers requested service day Write-up begins within four minutes Service needs are courteously identified, accurately recorded on repair order and verified with customer Service status provided within one minute of inquiry Vehicle serviced right on first visit Vehicle ready at agreed-upon time Thorough explanation given of work done, coverage and charges

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Standards at Four Seasons

Seven Service Culture Standards
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Smile Eye Recognition Voice Informed Clean Everyone

Core Worldwide Service Operating Standards

Reservations Hotel Arrival Messages and Paging Guest Room Evening Service Breakfast Room Exceptions are permitted if they make local sense

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Ritz-Carltons SQI Index

SQI Defects Points

1. Missing Guest Preferences

2. Unresolved Difficulties 3. Inadequate Guestroom Housekeeping 4. Abandoned Reservation Calls 5. Guestroom Changes 6. Inoperable Guestroom Equipment 7. Unready Guestroom 8. Inappropriate Hotel Appearance 9. Meeting Event Difficulties 10. Inadequate Food/Beverage 11. Missing/Damaged Guest Property/Accidents 12. Invoice Adjustment

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