Excellent service givers pay attention to the person and situation at hand.
They listen for the things that the client isn’t saying.
- Linda Byars Swindling

Can you remember an instance when you experienced exceptional customer service? When the end result made you feel really good and left you with a long-lasting positive impression?

You know when you have had an excellent customer experience and you know when you haven’t. Providing excellent products and services at competitive prices are expected in today’s marketplace, but this is only one part of the equation. The deciding factor between using one company over another tends to rely on the relationships that have been established and how the business makes the customer feel. This is the differentiator when providing high quality customer service.

How do you make your customers feel good?

1. Listen to their needs. Hear what they are saying and understand what they need.
2. Be genuine, honest and sincere. When customers are upset, they need to know that you care.
3. Only promise what you can deliver. If you tell customers that you will follow up with them, then do it. Set the expectation and follow through.

We all know what it’s like to be a customer and how it feels when we experience great customer service. We want more of it. Do your customers feel good?

I am very happy to announce that Bill Lucchini, a former Intuit executive, joins the OnForce team as the new COO. I would like to reserve this blog for Bill.

Thanks, Pete. Now that I am officially part of the OnForce family, I would like to talk with you, our OnForce users.

It’s a little scary saying this to such a huge community of service pros and service buyers, but I would really like to hear from you. For me, engaging with customers is energizing. There is no better way for OnForce to build great services and products than getting to know our users. I’ve already had the chance to talk with some of our buyers and pros and there’s nothing like it to help figure out what’s working, what could be better, and what opportunities we have as we move forward. I’ve heard great success stories and innovative ideas for our future. It’s truly energizing and I would like to hear more.

I’m just getting started and I have a lot to understand. I’m really excited about what OnForce is delivering and even more excited about what we’re going to do in the future, together. This is your opportunity to shape my thinking and the OnForce strategy. You can reach me at bill.lucchini at onforce.com or on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wapl.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Bill

Earlier this week, I read an industry article about an Access Markets International (AMI) report.  What I read was pretty interesting. The results of the study showed how small businesses are starting to make more hardware purchases online rather than visiting a retail store. Interesting concept. The report continues by stating that as these organizations have become more familiar with their IT infrastructure, the more comfortable they have become with purchasing equipment online. Many see it as a more efficient buying experience.

And I began to think how the hardware market has changed over the years.

Over the past few years, this industry has become commoditized. The AMI study proves that many small businesses are content with the new “click and buy” model when it comes to hardware.  And as this model becomes more popular, the next step is that users will increasingly want services to move in this same “click and buy” direction.

My advice? If you’re a channel reseller and haven’t moved to an online model, you may want to consider providing a full solution including hardware, software, and services. An integrated solution, ala “Geek Squad in a box” will provide efficiencies and a competitive advantage.

From the customer side – I have some advice for you as well. If you are the CTO or CIO looking for a total solutions package, make sure to keep an eye out for Tiger Direct, PC Mall, and CDW as their business continues to grow and prosper.

As I have mentioned before –IT can help people (and organizations) to stay connected and offer incredible efficiencies that are very effective, particularly during a time of crisis. So, what happened with BP? Didn’t the company take advantage of existing technology advancements that could have prevented the biggest oil spill in US history? According to 60 Minutes, BP “saved” time and money by ordering procedures that were risky, which ultimately resulted in catastrophe.

As a business leader, I ask you: Are you making the necessary investments in your IT infrastructure that are effectively protecting your company, while helping you to grow profitably?

Many companies today have focused their spending on the maintenance of their IT infrastructure to ensure that customer satisfaction is maintained. In Q1 2010, approximately 62% of all service events — that were fulfilled via the OnForce marketplace — were focused on maintenance work. However, there is an increasing number of companies that are preparing for new technology implementations. Where have you focused your IT spending?

The BP issue illustrates a valuable lesson. Always invest and implement technologies that will help to ensure your continued business grow – with no surprises. Look at your hardware, your security software, and telecommunications equipment. Is your company adequately protected and running as efficiently as possible?

Earlier this week, HP unveiled a $1 billion plan to invest in its Enterprise Service business which indicates that HP sees significant business potential through a modernized services delivery infrastructure.

Ann Livermore, the executive vice president of this business unit stated, “We think the next 10 years are going to be about who can automate the delivery of services.”

However, this wasn’t the only major newsmaker coming out of HP this week. The company has become more vocal about their evolving certified professional program. This program allows IT professionals to broaden their technical skill set and knowledge by obtaining HP training and certifications. By working with these certified professionals, VARs and service buyers can have ready access to highly skilled technicians to effectively fulfill specific service work.

At OnForce, we verify service professionals who carry these industry-leading certifications. With hundreds of service professionals in our marketplace who hold an HP certification, our customers know they can always find highly-skilled individuals to successfully complete service events, on demand.

Now, back to HP. Will the company be more successful with this bolder move into services? What do you think?