What is Customer Focus?

Lots of books and whitepapers have been written about customer service and the ‘customer focus’, what does it mean in practical terms? As a consumer of products and services myself, I can share what it means to me.

First, and foremost, it means listening and attending to what the customer is saying. Too often, service desk and call center staff go through a standard set of questions by rote that do not get them the information needed to accurately understand the customer’s concern. The active listening ideal suggests asking open-ended questions and rephrasing the customer’s comments to be sure that real communication has taken place.

Second, customer focus means assuring that the customer is satisfied both with the service received and with the form and style of delivery.

In IT Service Management, the Service Desk is the single point of contact (SPOC) for customers consuming IT services. As the first and maybe only direct experience a customer will have with service provider, a customer focus is essential for building and maintaining a positive reputation for quality. Active listening is one of skills that is essential for Service Desk staff.

In service provision the customer’s perception of quality is everything. A recent experience with the Service Desks of two large technology companies spotlighted the value that a framework like IT Service Management can bring to service provision and to managing the customers’ perceptions. My personal journey to realize the value of a product and service I purchase illustrates some very common pitfalls that good processes might avoid.

The notebook computer I use for teaching my classes was purchased with a built-in broadband modem. One month of free service with a national carrier was offered as an incentive for purchasing that particular model. While on the road, I needed connectivity and decided to accept the trial offer. I followed a preinstalled web link and completed an application for service with the wireless carrier. At the end of the self-service web application process, I had a phone number and a message saying I had completed the application process. Unfortunately, that was not enough to actually use the broadband feature.

Blissfully ignorant, I tried to connect using the broadband feature the next day and was unable to complete the wireless connection. I contacted the notebook manufacturer’s tech support site and began to explain my problem to the technician. He directed me through an exhaustive and totally unnecessary process of removing and reinstalling drivers and programs that did not ultimately resolve my problem. He suggested that I contact the wireless carrier.

I visited one of the wireless carrier’s store fronts and was sent to a second location that I was told provided hardware technical support. A short drive across town and I learned that the wireless carrier does not service the module in the notebook computer. They could not offer any help with my connectivity issue, but did ask me to set up a PIN number for my, thus far useless, wireless account. The very pleasant service person suggested I call the notebook manufacturer.

To be continued…

Posted by Rhane Thomas