Enhancing Customer Satisfaction with After-Sales Service

After-Sales Service

After-sales service refers to the tasks that an organization undertakes after a sale to ensure total customer satisfaction. It is an important source of information and should be considered an investment. It is easier to sell new products to a satisfied customer than to find new customers.

Advantages:

• It provides greater customer satisfaction.
• It improves the image of the company.
• It improves direct knowledge of the market.
• It involves potential customer loyalty.
• It implies a likely increase in sales.

Disadvantages:

• It involves certain costs.
• It needs to be controlled.
• It can cause a possible increase in the number of claims.
• It implies a greater demand for service and quality.
• It causes more staffing needs.

Types of After-Sales Service

Promotional

Related to sales promotion, offers, and contests.

Psychological

When a gift or a greeting card is sent to a customer (birthdays, etc.).

Security

To provide protection, a guarantee, or the possibility of a refund.

Maintenance

When the service of installation and training is offered to ensure proper use.

Technical Services

Technical services should be performed by trained staff:

• Installation: Operations performed on the premises of the customer to get the product ready.
• Maintenance: Products suffer wear; some maintenance activities are necessary to restore or maintain a product.
• Repairs: Carried out to restore product defects. During the warranty, the supplier will repair the product at no charge as long as the customer keeps the receipt.

Services Provided to Customers Directly

• Training for Use: The company trains or guides the customer to get the most out of the product or service.
• Handling of Complaints and Claims: Complaints reflect that the product has a defect or problem but do not necessarily reflect reality.

Some customers complain about everything, and others do not. The factors that influence complaints are the age and educational level of the customer and the price.

Techniques and Tools for Quality Management

• Brainstorming: A technique to analyze business problems, develop creativity, and find solutions. A group of five to eight people brings ideas spontaneously. Ideas are written down, combined, and then valued.
• Value Analysis: Used to design a product or service at minimum cost and increase customer satisfaction.
• Structure Trees: A diagram used to identify all actions required to achieve a goal or project.
• Cause-and-Effect Diagram (Fishbone Diagram): A diagram used to organize and represent the causes of a problem.
• Flowchart: A graphical or visual representation of the sequence of steps in a process.
• Data Recording Method: Data collection and analysis to be able to find a solution. It is used in combination with other tools.
• Graphs and Histograms: Graphs are visual representations of data, identifying and comparing data. They are good for decision-making, e.g., bar graphs and sector graphs.
• P-Charts or Control Charts: A statistical tool used to monitor the performance of a process.
• Benchmarking: Allows companies to compare themselves with others, identify their comparative strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to improve.

Structuring the After-Sales Service

An after-sales department should have:

• Customer Service: Receive and address incidents, discriminate calls, and manage incidents.
• Technical Support Service: Experts and trained staff.
  • Assisted self-repair (chat, video conference)
  • On-site repair
  • Repair shop
• Other Departments or Services Involved in the Structure:
  • Transportation: Times and quality in service are essential.
  • Warehouse: To store components.
  • Follow-up customer satisfaction about the solution.

Management Tools of an After-Sales Service

1. Database of customers: It needs to be updated to be effective.
2. Telemarketing: It's quick, efficient, and profitable.
3. Correspondence: To send out catalogs, magazines, invitations, and samples.
4. Websites and Email: Very useful for sending emails, suggestions, questions, etc.
5. Personal Visit: This is the most expensive method, but it allows the customer to feel valued.