Page 263 - DMGT522_SERVICES MANAGEMENT

Services Management

Notes

Note The key to ongoing customer relations is trust. Without it, you have no relationship
and cannot win customer loyalty.

Caselet Case: ABB India: Gaining Power

he top line of ABB India, a 52% subsidiary of ABB Global, Switzerland, was ` 8068
Tmillion in the year 2000. However, it was struggling to grow both in terms of revenues
and profits, and at the same time its parent was in trouble with constant restructuring. ABB
India at that time was required to contribute more to the groups bottom-line and hence in
September 2001, Jurgen Dormann, CEO, ABB Global brought back Ravi Uppal from Volvo
India to become the country head for ABB India. This case details the leadership style of
Ravi Uppal and the restructuring initiatives he started at the company. This case takes an
inside look at ABB’s unprecedented transformation under Ravi Uppal. ABB India was
focusing on extensive use of channel partners, is there any other way it can plan market
penetration. Industrial IT initiatives and investment into R&D will help ABB India in the
long run.
Source: http://www.ibscdc.org/Case_Studies/Marketing/Services%20Marketing/SVM0004P.htm

6. Demonstrate commitment. As an employee with customer contact opportunities and
responsibilities, you are the organisation’s representative. One mistake that many frontline
employees (and many supervisors) make in communications with customers is to
intentionally or unintentionally demonstrate a lack of commitment or support for their
company and a sense of powerlessness. A common way in which this occurs is with the use
of “they” language when dealing with customers. This can be in reference to management
or policies or procedures, for example, “Mrs. Howard, I’d like to help but our policy
says . . .” or “Mrs. Howard, I’ve checked on your request, but my manager (they) said we
can’t. . . .”
An alternative to using “they” language is to take ownership or responsibility for a
situation by telling the customer what you can do, not what you cannot do. Customers are
not interested in internal strife or procedures; they want to have their needs satisfied. To
try to involve customers in situations that are out of their control and that do not concern
them is unfair and unwise. Positive language and effort on your part can reduce or eliminate
unnecessarily dragging the customer in. Here’s one approach: “Mrs. Howard, I’m terribly
sorry that you were inconvenienced by our mistake (policy or omission). What I can do to
help resolve this situation is . . . .”
Tip: Even if your organisation does not have a formal policy regarding returning calls,
business etiquette dictates that you return all calls and do so within 24 hours or by the next
business day. Even better, do so by the close of the business day if possible.
7. Partner with customers. Customers are the reason you have a job and the reason your
organisation continues to exist. With that in mind, you should do whatever you can to
promote a positive, healthy customer provider relationship. This can be done in a number
of ways. Here are some simple techniques:

Communicate openly and effectively.
Smile–project a positive image.

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