The Value of Customer Service

February 10, 2016

As I was catching up on email this morning, I was realized something odd. Several of my client emails contained questions of which had nothing to do with equipment that had been purchased. They needed helped and I could provide the answers.

There was no warranty verification, no service subscription requirement and no hourly charge, just some correspondence between friends. In one case, a new friendship was being developed, as someone had retired and I was corresponding with the replacement.

I like to think that customers are lifelong commitments. Something more enduring than a financial transaction for goods and services rendered. At some level there exists a bond between the user of the equipment and the customer support contact. I’m not describing a pen pal but a bonding of trust where people work together to help each other do a better job. The participants become a team which goes deeper than maintaining a piece of equipment. The exchange will begin with installation questions, parts, drawings, miniature training sessions and progress to a respect for each other’s skills and knowledge.

This bond, which exists at the service level, is very influential to help with the follow-up on sales and preventing the competition from getting to the existing customer. In return, competition may react in a variety of ways, including lowering their price. This defense tactic can create a handful of issues.

• Customers may experience decreased quality and increased maintenance and downtime.
• Employees experience decreased morale, as they are responsible for maintaining equipment without parts or instructions.
• Operators become rougher on equipment because it does not work properly.

The value of service cannot be measured although it is a major factor in the success of a company. How many times have you read the review of a product and learned that the company service was a nightmare or nonexistent? Did that influence your desire to make a purchase?

At FCX, we believe service is a cornerstone of our business. With worldwide support 24/7/365, FCX provides consultation, trouble-shooting and frequency converter and ground power replacement parts directly to you. Through comprehensive service – from initial contact through production and ongoing support – our customers become long-term partners.

 

Allen Wright has been involved in power electronics since 1972 and in 400 Hz aviation power since 1978. He became one of the founders of FCX Systems, Inc. in 1987