This blog post is about service and digital transformation. I want to take a real-life situation and relate it to what we call service these days and want to talk a little bit about digital transformation. First I need to explain the situation:
During Christmas our washing machine broke. When I bought it, only 3 years ago, I also bought a service contract at the store. It was pretty pricey, so you'd expect service. Obviously I wasn't expecting anyone to work during Christmas, so on the first working day after Christmas I called the company. I would have used Whatsapp or Twitter - but the company isn't active on those media.
I got a guy on the phone telling me they would come round after 4 days. On that day no-one showed up. Instead we got a card from a 3rd party that they wanted to set a date to take a look. Another 4 days passed. The 3rd party came and took a look. The mechanic noticed two modules that weren't working. He would order them, which would take 3-4 days, and come back to repair the machine.
Another week passed. I decided to call the company. One module had been ordered, but they hadn't received it yet. I am to this day awaiting a call from them to make an appointment. I am also wondering how they are going to fix it when there were two modules that needed to be ordered...
The company where I bought the machine has a slogan called: high service, low pricing. I paid 120 Euros extra for the thing they call a service.
I think what we need to do first is define service. I think my grandparents would have thought it was brilliant of them to fix the machine within a month (still hoping they can manage that). They grew up in a time when washing machines were evolving. I however have grown up with the digital transformation. Companies are using digital communication to solve things faster.
Example: when I order something at webshops I can often order up to midnight and the products are delivered the next day. The next day! When I send or receive a package by mail I can track and trace it all the way and often postal companies have a same day delivery option. Amazing! Brilliant! When my size is out at the local shoe store - within 3 days a pair in my size is ready to be picked up.
These type of companies have digitized and automated the process in order to help their clients better and faster. They have embraced digital and deliver what I call service. I once ordered something at Bol.com that got lost in the mail. They immediately shipped another one, which I received only two days after the initial delivery would have reached me, and gave me a discount on my next order. They hadn't done anything wrong and still offered their excuses. Maybe it was their fault after all, but by their quick response and immediateactions I felt it wasn't their fault.
I think the company where I bought my washing machine should embrace the digital transformation. Why does it take them at least a week to order supplies? Why can't I find a status report online? Why isn't there any communication with me, the customer?
If you ask your customers to pay extra for service, you better start offering them some. If you're working with a 3rd party to solve your problems, make sure you and the 3rd party communicate. I received various dates, people didn't show up. Thats not what I call service. I have called the company four times in the past 3 weeks this has been going on just to find out if they might have forgotten about me. Lack of communication and still there isn't any solution.
Maybe I should explain what that means to a young family. We have some washing to do at least every 2 days. Instead of using the washing machine 15 times over the past weeks - I have handwashed everything. We have also been helped out by my parents, where we could use their washing machine for the bedding. Basically the company is telling a young family to suck it up - for the past three weeks.
Maybe the digital transformation has spoiled us. Because many companies have gone digital in their ordering and service - maybe we expect too much of those who have missed the boat? I mean, websites where you can buy something up to midnight have really upped the game, haven't they? Maybe we aren't respecting what they do for us enough?
But I do know that I am mighty dissappointed. I paid extra and get less service than I would have gotten elsewhere. They aren't communicating with me, aren't trying to help me. I have to wait and see if they are going to help me out this week. Or that maybe they should have ordered that second module as well - which loses me another 2 weeks based on the time it takes to receive that first module...
I think I'm in love with digital transformation. And I feel sorry for the company where I bought my machine. I think in the long run it's going to cost them big. Companies have raised the bar for service and people have grown used to them.
Cheers,
Corné
High service, low pricing - the introduction
During Christmas our washing machine broke. When I bought it, only 3 years ago, I also bought a service contract at the store. It was pretty pricey, so you'd expect service. Obviously I wasn't expecting anyone to work during Christmas, so on the first working day after Christmas I called the company. I would have used Whatsapp or Twitter - but the company isn't active on those media.
I got a guy on the phone telling me they would come round after 4 days. On that day no-one showed up. Instead we got a card from a 3rd party that they wanted to set a date to take a look. Another 4 days passed. The 3rd party came and took a look. The mechanic noticed two modules that weren't working. He would order them, which would take 3-4 days, and come back to repair the machine.
Another week passed. I decided to call the company. One module had been ordered, but they hadn't received it yet. I am to this day awaiting a call from them to make an appointment. I am also wondering how they are going to fix it when there were two modules that needed to be ordered...
The company where I bought the machine has a slogan called: high service, low pricing. I paid 120 Euros extra for the thing they call a service.
Digital world - what is service?
I think what we need to do first is define service. I think my grandparents would have thought it was brilliant of them to fix the machine within a month (still hoping they can manage that). They grew up in a time when washing machines were evolving. I however have grown up with the digital transformation. Companies are using digital communication to solve things faster.
Example: when I order something at webshops I can often order up to midnight and the products are delivered the next day. The next day! When I send or receive a package by mail I can track and trace it all the way and often postal companies have a same day delivery option. Amazing! Brilliant! When my size is out at the local shoe store - within 3 days a pair in my size is ready to be picked up.
These type of companies have digitized and automated the process in order to help their clients better and faster. They have embraced digital and deliver what I call service. I once ordered something at Bol.com that got lost in the mail. They immediately shipped another one, which I received only two days after the initial delivery would have reached me, and gave me a discount on my next order. They hadn't done anything wrong and still offered their excuses. Maybe it was their fault after all, but by their quick response and immediateactions I felt it wasn't their fault.
Digital Transformation
I think the company where I bought my washing machine should embrace the digital transformation. Why does it take them at least a week to order supplies? Why can't I find a status report online? Why isn't there any communication with me, the customer?
If you ask your customers to pay extra for service, you better start offering them some. If you're working with a 3rd party to solve your problems, make sure you and the 3rd party communicate. I received various dates, people didn't show up. Thats not what I call service. I have called the company four times in the past 3 weeks this has been going on just to find out if they might have forgotten about me. Lack of communication and still there isn't any solution.
Maybe I should explain what that means to a young family. We have some washing to do at least every 2 days. Instead of using the washing machine 15 times over the past weeks - I have handwashed everything. We have also been helped out by my parents, where we could use their washing machine for the bedding. Basically the company is telling a young family to suck it up - for the past three weeks.
Spoiled
Maybe the digital transformation has spoiled us. Because many companies have gone digital in their ordering and service - maybe we expect too much of those who have missed the boat? I mean, websites where you can buy something up to midnight have really upped the game, haven't they? Maybe we aren't respecting what they do for us enough?
But I do know that I am mighty dissappointed. I paid extra and get less service than I would have gotten elsewhere. They aren't communicating with me, aren't trying to help me. I have to wait and see if they are going to help me out this week. Or that maybe they should have ordered that second module as well - which loses me another 2 weeks based on the time it takes to receive that first module...
I think I'm in love with digital transformation. And I feel sorry for the company where I bought my machine. I think in the long run it's going to cost them big. Companies have raised the bar for service and people have grown used to them.
Cheers,
Corné
Reacties
Een reactie posten