They also issue a quality document for customers stating that a policy of Lance Owen is to provide customers with products and services, which fulfil their respective requirements.
As part of the employees’ code of conduct, reference is made about employees’ behaviour in customer facing areas. Apart from a polite manner and smart appearance, behaviour of staff is impeccable at all times. Behaviour that may cause offence would include: chatting with colleagues, eating or drinking, the use of mobile phones and chewing gum. These are all activities, which have been labelled, as being unprofessional by Lance Owen and unprofessional activities should be avoided at all costs.
Lance Owen also makes reference to personal appearance as part of it employees’ code of conduct. Where uniform is prescribed by the company, it is supplied free of charge and it is a condition of employment that staff wear such clothing during working hours.
All vehicle buyers become “priority customers” and are eligible to receive a range of offers and discounts, designed to reward their ongoing ownership experience
At all Lance Owen stores, there are extensive parking facilities provided. They each provide vacancies for at least twenty customers, which are substantial as Lance Owen expect no more than ten customers at any one time. CCTV cameras monitor all Lance Owen forecourts.
There is a ‘presentation manager’ allocated to each store, who is responsible for checking the cleanliness of stores at least three times a day. They are responsible for the overall presentation of stores and ensuring customers have a pleasant shopping experience. CCTV cameras constantly monitor all Lance Owen stores.
C1, How does the customer service function operate within each organisation?
It is important to understand how the customer service function operates within each organisation in order to understand the extent to which each business has developed an effective customer service programme.
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd.
There are nine customer care advisors who work in the Delta customer services department. This is headed by the general manager who is also responsible the company’s export warehouse.
Each of these nine people who work in the customer services department have their own customers, usually allocated by country, or they work in a team that has several countries allocated to that team. Each person is directly responsible for providing an effective, high quality service to his or her customers.
Each customer care advisor receives orders from their customers. They must then research these orders, finding out relevant data, for example, the publisher or the distributor. The orders will then recorded into the company’s database.
If there are any problems regarding a particular order, it is the customer care advisors responsibility to find an objective resolution, whilst causing minimum disruption to the customer. Customers are sent back order reports regularly, showing which orders are still outstanding.
Communication between members of the customer service department and customers is usually fulfilled via e-mail, telephone or fax.
Although it is not standard practice for customers to go into Delta on a day-to-day basis, there are a number of customer services desks, from which, each customer care advisor will operate.
Each customer care advisor will be allocated their own customer care telephone line, which allows customers to have fluent access with their own particular customer care advisor.
(b) Lance Owen
Lance Owen currently employs around forty customer care advisors, who make up around twenty per cent of the overall workforce. They will be headed by a Customer Care Manager, who is chiefly responsible for the standards of customer service employed by those who work for the company.
A customer care department can be found at all branches of Lance Owen. This department will operate from a customer care desk, which deals with customers on a day-to-day basis. Members of the customer care Team will normally deal with customers face-to-face, however it is possible that customers communicate with the customer care department via e-mail, fax or telephone. The company has a free phone telephone line, which allows customers to contact the department free of charge.
The customer care department is very different to that of Delta, as customer care advisors will not be allocated particular customers, but will be expected to handle general enquiries, some complaints and suggestions made by prospective or existing customers.
C2, How do different members of staff contribute to good customer care in each organisation?
It could be said that all members of staff play an important role in contributing to good customer care. However, for the purposes of this assignment I have identified those employees that play an integral part and summarised their roles and responsibilities in maintaining good customer care.
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd.
Nigel Hudspith – General Manager
The General Manager is responsible for overseeing all work that goes through the office. He is in control of invoicing and making sure that each customer is invoiced regularly, as and when required. He ensures that customer services staff are up-to-date with their ordering and that queries are dealt with as soon as possible. (Nigel also oversees that work is carried out properly in the export warehouse, but has the help of a warehouse manager).
Claire Histead – Customer Services Manager
The Customer Services Manager has been working part-time (just two days a week), since the arrival of her baby. When she is working, she is responsible for checking that the administration of the department is up to date, holiday and sick records are up-to-date. The General Manager will normally assist her in any overflowing work.
She is the person who will deal with quotations or tenders, which will normally come in the form of excel spreadsheets. She will edit the sheets, filling in any relevant data, such as distributor information. A customer care advisor will then print out the sheets, categorizing them by distributor. They will then be faxed out together, asking for the current price and discount. When this information arrives back, Claire keys the information into the spreadsheet, or arranges for someone else to do it if she is not going to be in. The tender or quotation is then finalised by Nick Boisseau (Managing Director), who has the final say as to how much discount should be offered to the customer.
Debbie Karmos – American and Asian Advisor
Debbie deals primarily with the Far East, Japan, Hong Kong and America. She has two advisors who she may pass work onto. Japan provides the company with its highest area of turnover, closely followed by America, so this is a very busy team of people who have a vital role in ensuring good customer care is correctly fulfilled.
Gary Cumberbeach and Louise Wheeler – Educational and European Advisors
These two people are responsible for dealing with a large section of the world and the large majority of educational institutions that provide custom to Delta.
Delta has spent much time and investment trying to break into the sector for educational institutions. There are many that specialise in teaching English, - should Delta become a regular supplier, it could become a growth industry.
Jaqci Parker and Lisa Wheeler – Portuguese Advisors
Delta has an agent in Portugal that is also responsible for overseeing the conduct of business with Portuguese customers.
Warehouse Manager
The Warehouse manager is responsible for ensuring that the export warehouse works efficiently.
If the warehouse receives a delivery, the Warehouse Manager will check the goods received with the corresponding purchase order form. He will then record the delivery on the company’s database. He is ultimately responsible for overseeing the safe storage and dispatching of goods offered by the company.
When a customer care advisor records an order, an invoice will be forwarded to the Warehouse Manager who will ensure that the order is packed and dispatched accordingly.
He is ultimately responsible for delegating responsibility, and making sure that appropriate methods of practice are in place and followed by general warehouse staff.
Although he does not deal with customers directly, his role is vital in ensuring customers are fully satisfied. He must ensure that goods received by customers are not damaged or defected in any way, and is also responsible for making sure an order is processed and dispatched as quickly as possible. Any cost savings made by the company in its export warehouse maybe passed onto the customer.
General warehouse staff
General warehouse staff must fulfil the responsibilities delegated by the Warehouse Manager.
Their roles can vary on a day-to-day basis, but they are also responsible for ensuring the export warehouse works efficiently.
General warehouse staff are responsible for storing deliveries received, once they have been checked by the Warehouse Manager. They are responsible for picking orders that have been placed by customers and packing the orders accordingly. There is also a certain amount of documentation that will need to be completed by staff, when packing each order that is placed.
Once again, general warehouse staff do not deal directly with customers, but have an important role in ensuring customer satisfaction. Their responsibility to the customer is much the same as the Warehouse Manager, who must ensure appropriate practice is followed throughout the export warehouse.
As far as what is expected of staff knowledge goes, the main requirement is that staff learn where to source books from, and they learn how to find books when they are given very little detail of what is required. So, rather than a specific knowledge of books, it is more a case of knowledge of how/where to find particular books that is more important.
Those staff that deal with customers directly are expected to demonstrate a positive, helpful approach. They must investigate issues raised and take appropriate action when necessary, whilst providing sound advice in a polite manner.
Warehouse staff are expected to communicate with suppliers and ensure there is a satisfactory flow of goods, which can be handled and dispatched to customers.
(b) Lance Owen
Lance Owen – Managing Director
The overall Managing Director of Lance Owen is chiefly responsible for the overall management of the company, which is a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors. He is ultimately responsible for setting standards in customer care and devising appropriate customer care policies in line with Vauxhall requirements. He must establish strategies that must be put into practice in order to deal with his particular customers.
Store Managers
Store Managers can be found at all Lance Owen stores. They oversee the service and parts department and the company’s showrooms. All other staff in any store will always be answerable to the Store Manager, who must makes sure that all customer care practices and policies are followed by everyone.
They will be broadly responsible for the way a particular store conducts business, and their responsibilities will often vary to the changing environment in which a particular store operates.
It is the Store Managers job to delegate responsibility for a variety of tasks and must ensure that other inferior managers perform their tasks appropriately.
Sales Manager
The Sales Manager will be responsible for making sure that sales assistants meet sales targets. A major factor in achieving a high level of sales would be to ensure that customers are fully satisfied with the goods and services that the company has on offer.
He or she will also make sure that staff working in the sales department are trained and operate to the highest possible standard, in both sales and customer care. This is vital in building up a relationship of trust between client and retailer.
Sales Assistants
Sales assistants will have individual sales targets imposed upon them and will therefore have a responsibility to transmit Lance Owens customer care image and packages in an attempt to persuade the customer to make the buying decision.
They are expected to have an extensive knowledge of the goods and services offered by the company. They must also provide informal advice, in a friendly manner.
Presentation Manager
Each Lance Owen showroom is allocated a ‘Presentation Manager’, who is ultimately responsible for presentation to the customer. He or she is obliged to check the store for cleanliness at least three times a day. They must ensure that showroom products are presented in the best possible fashion and that the overall shopping experience is a pleasant one.
The Presentation Manager has an important role in perpetuating the company image. Customers should be enticed by the way the showroom is presented.
Service and Parts Team
A Service and Parts Team can be found at all Lance Owen stores. They are responsible for making sure that services and parts are made easily available to those customers who wish to purchase them.
Members of the team would include general assistants, mechanics, and car-washers, all of which play an important role in ensuring customer service is to a high standard.
They ensure that servicing, repairs and parts are provided to a high standard, with minimum inconvenience to the customer.
Customer Care Team
The Customer Care Team can be found at all Lance Owen stores. They are actively involved in contacting new and existing customers, to find out if they have received the products which they have signed up for at the service they would expect. They will also aim to inform customers of goods and services that may appeal, and offer any support and advice that may be required.
Effectively, they are responsible for monitoring and assessing the quality of customer service on offer.
Members of the customer care team will aim to deal with a range of customer enquiries although those enquiries directly related to sales should be diverted to the appropriate department where more specialist advice is available.
At all levels, in all departments of the company, clerical staff can be found. These people are often the first contact with prospective or existing clientele and must therefore take a primary role in customer satisfaction by dealing with relevant queries appropriately.
Senior managers must be pertinent and influential in staff development.
C3, How effectively are customers needs catered for by each organisation?
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd.
There are a variety of ways that Delta maintains fluent communication with its customers. Essentially customers may communicate by telephone, e-mail and fax. These are all effective methods of long distance communication, and efficiently maintain fluent correspondence between the company and its customers.
Delta staff do not deal with customers face-to-face on a day-to-day basis. However, this is effective because its customers are located all around the world and will undoubtedly appreciate using methods of long distance communication, as opposed to relying upon a walk-in service, which would not satisfy customers’ needs.
Delta has an Internet website that allows potential customers to learn more about the organisation and the products which it provides. It illustrates the company’s willingness to provide general information about itself and enhance public awareness about the goods and services, which it aims to provide. Developing an Internet website provides an effective medium for communicating with potential customers and allows Delta to perpetuate a brand image and deliver a selling message to potential customers.
The Internet website is also used for a number of other reasons. It is used to allow customers to check the status of their orders and see what books have been dispatched and what books are still on order. This is another way the company aims to provide customers with an increasingly efficient service, as customers will always know what to expect. If any books are out of print, or under reprint, Delta always issue a report on their website and always contact those customers that are directly affected personally by telephone, e-mail, or fax. This again illustrates their commitment to exceeding customer expectations and providing an efficient service. This reduces the chance of complaints by customers, who will feel that Delta makes a genuine effort to satisfy their needs.
Delta supply general information about books for which customers do not have complete information. They can supply lists of books in a particular area from which potential customers can place their orders. Strategies such as these will help Delta to develop a competitive edge over competition, as they are not only concerned about providing services which provide immediate revenue to the company, but they are demonstrating a willingness to provide relevant services to the customer, which may help to increase customer satisfaction. They are demonstrating a willingness to exceed customer expectations.
A large part of its business is to supply quotations. Tender are usually sent to Delta on a spreadsheet, who check the current price, availability, and discount available from the publisher. This may be described as part of the ‘augmented product’ customers receive when purchasing goods and services from Delta. Customers do not pay for this service, yet it helps the company to increase satisfaction amongst customers and to increase its sales, as it provides a service, which nearly all customers require before initiating a purchase.
Delta offers small discounts to those who order a lot of a particular book, or to customers who agree to those who agree to pay off their invoices early. This demonstrates willingness to reward customers that bring good business. It is likely that customers will appreciate receiving discounts and rewards. This could be particularly instrumental in increasing chances of repeat business and customer loyalty.
Delta has an allocated Spanish Desk that has been set up in order to deal with Spanish customers. This is a very effective way of satisfying the needs of Spanish customers. It will significantly reduce the chance of existing customers taking their business to Spanish based book wholesalers.
Although the majority of Delta customers do not actually go inside the store itself, Delta has recently built a small car parking facility for both customers and staff. This is partly in response to a growing number of large customers, who wish to inspect the premises, before initiating any business. Delta is providing customers with the services they require; ensuring any experience potential customers associate with the organisation is a positive one.
Staff should be updated with information regarding the goods and services Delta aims to provide. They are also monitored and assessed on their ability to provide objective impartial advice on a day-to-day basis. Ensuring that staff are capable of fulfilling their roles adequately, providing relevant information regarding the goods and services customers may wish to purchase.
(b) Lance Owen Ltd.
Lance Owen has four stores, which it seems provide an effective medium for providing goods and services to customers in the areas of Kingston, Richmond, Twickenham and Rickmansworth. It also has a corporate website which provides not only general information about the company, but also detailed information, explaining the types of goods and services on offer. This is an increasing accessibility to the customer, and delivering promotional messages. Internet websites can be looked at from anywhere in the world and demonstrate potential for increasing or maximising sales by enhancing awareness amongst communities other than those in which the company immediately operates.
Customers may travel to the store, or communicate via telephone, e-mail and fax. Illustrating the commitment of Lance Owen in making goods and services widely available to potential customers. It is important to recognise that by offering numeral methods of communication, customers can be satisfied in a more efficient manner, causing less inconvenience.
Lance Owen has stated that any messages received from customers, either by telephone, e-mail or fax will be responded to within 3 days. An attempt to demonstrate genuine regard for customers can increase chances of customer loyalty and repeat business.
By offering mixed menu prices for a wide range of goods and services, Lance Owen will offer a competitive selection of products. They have also vowed never to undertake work without a customers’ authority, and all products supplied by the organisation are guaranteed for a minimum of 12 months. This is just another strategy used by the company to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, and guarantees surely help to maximise sales. Customers feel assured with the service they are receiving and will not hesitate to call again.
Lance Owen offer free collection and deliveries for Motability drivers and senior citizens. This will help to enhance the public perception of the organisation, as it is perceived that the company is prepared to offer free services to vulnerable members of society.
Lance Owen will always provide advice, estimates and quotes upon request, whilst avoiding hidden extras. They also aim to provide accurate, itemised invoices and promise to use Vauxhall labour time for preparing invoices and for service and repairs. Customers receive the products they require accompanied by sound professional advice.
All employees will be issued with a training and development policy document, which states that the management of the company are fully committed to training and developing staff to their full potential. This ensures that all staff are capable of carrying out their roles safely and effectively and can contribute to the overall objectives of the company. It also works to ensure that customers receive a fully efficient service, enhancing staff morale.
As part of its employees’ code of conduct, Lance Owen state that apart from polite manner and smart appearance, employees’ behaviour should be impeccable at all times. In general employees are required to avoid behaviour that may be perceived as being unprofessional. This can only contribute to achieving high standards of customer service and increasing or maintaining high standards of customer satisfaction.
Lance Owen also makes reference to personal appearance as part of its employees’ code of conduct. Where uniform is prescribed, it should be worn at all times. First impressions are important in any customer-orientated organisation and uniform varies with regard to an employees’ job title and status.
By ensuring all customer facing staff wear a specified uniform it help to reinforce the company’s brand image.
At all Lance Owen stores, there are parking facilities provided, which exceed the expected number of customers at any one given time. They aim to exceed customer expectations and provide facilities that are excessive let alone practical.
Lance Owen have a delegated presentation manager at each of its four stores, who is responsible for overall presentation, and checking the stores for cleanliness at regular intervals throughout each day. Lance Owen clearly believes that this is an appropriate way of ensuring that a customers’ overall shopping experience is a pleasant one and is demonstrating a willingness to invest into achieving and maintaining satisfaction amongst customers.
At all of its facilities are monitored by CCTV cameras, which only help to make customers feel safe and secure when dealing with the company.
E4, How does each organisation monitor and assess the quality of customer of customer service?
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd.
Delta has stated that it does not employ any methods of monitoring and assessing the standards of customer service. It relies heavily on the basis of annual sales figures in assessing the quality of customer service.
It operates from a relatively small headquarters and therefore managers are able to effectively observe the way in which members of staff deal with each other and members of the general public.
A very informal method of monitoring and assessing the standards of customer service is present within Delta, whose business is partly based on the strong relationships that are built between customers and customer care assistants. In general, staff are encouraged to take note of comments that are made to them by customers and take any appropriate action necessary, to ensure that they are fully satisfied.
(b) Lance Owen Ltd.
Customer surveys are an integral part of the way Lance Owen monitors and assesses the standard of its customer service. Apart from internal surveys, Vauxhall conduct two principal surveys on which the company’s performance is measured:
- Purchase Satisfaction Survey, or PSS. A survey carried out on all new vehicle buyers 3 weeks after delivery.
- Service Satisfaction Survey, or SSS. A survey carried out on all new vehicle buyers 13 months after delivery. This is designed to include the first year ownership experience.
The company also uses what are known as ‘mystery shoppers’, in all four of its stores. This is where an unknown person attempts to buy a specific product and records the quality of customer service that is received.
Observation is also a way that Lance Owen aims to monitor and assess the quality of customer service. Managers will monitor the way members of staff treat each other and members of the general public.
C4, How effectively does each organisation monitor and assess the quality of customer service?
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers
Delta has stated that it does not employ any formal methods of monitoring and assessing the quality of customer service. It relies heavily on the basis of sales figures to monitor and assess the quality of customer service.
As it operates from a small headquarters, managers can effectively observe the way members of staff treat each other and different members of the public. Staff are also encouraged to take note of comments made by customers, and take any appropriate action necessary.
Not having any formal methods of monitoring and assessing the quality of customer service means that it is not possible for the company to achieve a clear perception of the company’s customer service standards. It also means that it is likely that the company is slow to respond to changing customer requirements and does not employ a methodical strategy of adapting to rapidly changing customer needs.
However, as it operates from a relatively small headquarters, it demonstrates that management has full confidence in its workforce, and is willing to employ a certain degree of trust. It is likely that staff will respond positively to this, resulting in increased enthusiasm and motivation amongst the workforce, although it could lead to a slack attitude being adopted by staff that take less pride in their work.
Again, general comments made by customers to different members of staff form a vital part of adapting and responding to changing customer needs. This again allows the employees a large amount of responsibility, which can be either positive or negative.
(b) Lance Owen Ltd.
Customer surveys form an integral part of Lance Owens commitment to monitoring and assessing the quality of customer service. This is a formal method and has certain advantages and disadvantages, when compared to other less formal methods.
Essentially, it ensures that the company has an ongoing perception of its standards of customer service, - they can easily establish whether standards are improving or getting worse. It allows the company to make annual comparisons and decide on and evaluate strategies employed by the organisation in an attempt to better the quality of customer service. It also ensures that all employees are aware that standards of customer service are constantly being monitored and must always be kept to as high a standard as possible.
Mystery shoppers are also another method employed by the company. These are effective because they ensure that all employees provide customer service to a very high standard in an attempt to avoid being singled out for providing poor standards of service to a mystery shopper. Mystery shoppers are effective, as they can highlight any employees that demonstrate a particular disregard for customer service and result in action being taken to improve standards of customer service.
Observation by managers is present in Lance Owen as it is in most organisations. It ensures that managers have an idea of the type of service, which is provided by existing employees. It is an inexpensive, informal method of monitoring and assessing the standards of customer service and can often prove more effective as the basis for assessment is made upon practical examples, rather than data retrieved from surveys or questionnaires.
E5, How are customer enquiries, complaints and suggestion handled by each organisation?
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd
The Customer Care Assistant allocated to the account of the particular customer who is making the enquiry should normally deal with all possible customer enquiries. This person is also responsible for noting comments made by customers and deals with any complaints, which a customer may happen to have.
However, if this person feels that they cannot satisfy the enquiry, suggestion, or complaint, the customer should be passed on to General Manager who will take full responsibility for the objective resolution of any problems that a customer may have.
Above, I have used a flow chart to illustrate the way in which customer enquiries, complaints and suggestions are handled.
Enquiries will normally be dealt with by the customer care assistant allocated the customers account. Complaints will be noted in writing by the particular Customer Care Assistant allocated to the account, and will then pass them on to the General Manager at the end of the day who will aim to respond to complaints within 24 hours. He will apologise for any inconvenience caused and state the appropriate action, which is being taken in response to the complaint. Suggestions are also recorded in writing and then passed onto the general manager. If there are any suggestions that are consistent with more than one customer, they are posted on the company’s website, stating the action which has been taken in response to that suggestion, in particular.
(b) Lance Owen Ltd.
General enquiries into the company, with regard to damaged of defected goods and services received or just general information on the company itself will be handled by the members of the Customer Care Team who make up the Customer Care Department. If they are unable to deal with the enquiry, then it will be forwarded to the Customer Care Manager who will take responsibility for handling that particular enquiry.
If a customer has a more specific enquiry into goods and services offered by the company, then it should be diverted to the relevant sales department, where more specialist information about the products on offer should be available, for example, if a customer wanted to find out how much it would cost to have a repair in his or her car, then the enquiry should be handled by members of the Service and Parts Department.
Lance Owen also has an Internet website that provides information on the company itself. This may resolve any general enquiries, which individuals may have.
Below, I have used flowcharts to illustrate the procedures for dealing with general enquiries, and more specific enquiries into goods and services offered by the company.
Complaints should be stated in writing to the Customer Care Department, by way of post, e-mail or fax, they may also be hand-delivered. They will then be forwarded to the Customer Care Manager at that particular branch. He or she will then take time to process the complaint and decide what needs to be done to resolve the problem, and then reply to the customer apologising for the inconvenience caused and stating what has been done with regard to the complaint.
Enquiries and Complaints should be replied to within a maximum period of three days. It is also a policy of Lance Owen to reply to serious enquiries and complaints in writing, as it considered to be more courteous.
I have used a flowchart to illustrate the general procedure for dealing with complaints.
Suggestions are also handled by the Customer Care Department. They should be handed in writing to any member of the Customer Care Team. At the end of each month, any suggestions that seem to be consistent with a number of customers will be published on the company’s website, stating the suggestion and again, what has been done in response to that particular suggestion.
A2, Evaluating and comparing each organisations performance in meeting its customers’ needs
In this section, I will evaluate and compare each organisations performance in meeting its customers’ needs. It will not be written in two parts, but in continuous prose.
Delta has customers all over the world, but operates from a single headquarters, located in Addlestone, Surrey.
Lance Owen has four stores, which aim to serve customers in the areas of Kingston, Richmond, Twickenham and Rickmansworth.
These two organisations are clearly very different and their customers require very different methods of communication.
The fact that Delta operates from a single headquarters is very effective for a company that has customers all over the world. It relies on methods of long-distance communication to maintain fluent correspondence with customers. This is more cost efficient than having stores located wherever there is a potential for sales. In general, staff do not deal face to face with customers on a day to day basis.
Lance Owen has four stores located in the areas in which it aims to achieve sales. This is very different to Delta and a much more expensive way of communicating with customers, but may prove more effective for a company such as Lance Owen, as its customers can be more easily categorized into the areas in which they live, - Delta customers can be located anywhere in the world. A larger number of stores are a good way of advertising, and also an effective way of perpetuating a corporate image, - it is also a great way of making goods and services widely available to those potential customers. Lance Owen customers may also communicate with the company by way of e-mail, fax or telephone. By providing numerous methods of communication, the company is increasing the ways in which it can satisfy customers’ needs.
Both Delta and Lance Owen have an Internet website that allows potential customers to learn more about their organisations and the products which they aim to provide. This illustrates their wiliness to disclose information about the way they conduct business and enhance awareness of goods and services they aim to provide.
Internet websites can be accessed in countries all over the world and provide an effective way in which Delta can reach all its customers, and with Lance Owen in particular, it allows the company to increase awareness amongst communities other than those in the immediate area of operation.
Delta aim to maximise the use of their Internet website, and it provides a number of benefits to customers. It allows customers to check the status of their orders, clarifying what books have been dispatched and what books are still on order. If books are out of print, or under reprint, Delta always issue a report on their website and will always contact those customers who are directly affected by telephone, e-mail or fax.
Lance Owen does not use its website, other than to provide information about the company itself and the goods and service it aims to provide. However, it would seem that both company’s have tailored the use of their Internet website, in order to meet or exceed the needs of their customers, in particular.
Delta has stated that any customer enquiries, complaints or suggestions that reach the General Manager, should be responded to within twenty-four hours. Lance Owen have stated any enquiries or complaints that reach the Customer Care Manager should be replied to within a minimum of three days. I do not believe this is a result of Delta being more committed to meeting customers’ needs, but believe Delta are an organisation that is based upon the relationships it develops with customers, and must therefore respond almost immediately to any problems a customer may happen to have.
Lance Owen aim to respond within three days and I believe customers will find this more than satisfactory. It is also the larger of the two organisations, so it may be possible that those in managerial positions have a larger number of problems to deal with and respond to on a day-to-day basis.
Delta can supply information on books about books for which they do not have complete information. They can supply lists of books in a particular area from which potential customers can place their orders. Delta aim to build a competitive edge over competition, as it seems that they are not only concerned about providing services that result in immediate revenue to the company.
Lance Owen has stated that they aim to provide mixed menu prices for a wide range of services. They also aim to build a competitive edge over competitors. Lance Owen has also vowed never to undertake work without a customers’ full authority and all products provided by the organisation are guaranteed for a minimum of twelve months. Delta has not issued any guarantees as such on its goods and services, which could demonstrate a low confidence in supplying products, which a customer may wish to sign up for.
A large part of Delta business is to supply book quotations. Tenders are usually sent to Delta on a spreadsheet, who check the current price availability and
Discount available from the publisher. Customers do not pay for this service, yet it undoubtedly helps to increase customer satisfaction, - nearly all customers will require this service before making any purchase.
Lance Owen offer free collection and delivery for Motability drivers and senior citizens, enhancing its public image and demonstrating a willingness to employ approaches that benefit vulnerable members of society.
Lance Owen will always supply estimates, advice and quotation upon request, whilst avoiding hidden extras.
It would seem that both organisations employ strategies that will undoubtedly help to enhance the standards in caring for their particular customers. They are also willing to provide free services with regard to quotations and estimates, - services which almost all customers will require before making the buying decision. They are both providing vital information to customers, which will undoubtedly result in increased sales.
Delta employees are trained in an informal manner, whereas Lance Owen staff are subject to a training and development policy document. Lance Owen is a subsidiary of the larger of the two organisations and must therefore have stricter internal legislation in place to ensure that all staff are in a position carry out their roles safely and effectively, whilst contributing to the overall objectives of the company. Delta may adapt training and development programmes to the individual in question, on the basis of academic qualifications and practical experience, which may help the company to achieve major cost saving in these areas. However, if Delta were to employ a more defined approach to training and development, like Lance Owen, there could be an increase in productivity, customer satisfaction and staff morale.
Delta does not issue a code of conduct to its employees, whereas Lance Owen do, again, this may be because Lance Owen is the bigger, more established of the two businesses and may have learnt from experience the benefits that can arise as a result of disclosing an employee code of conduct.
As part of the Lance Owen employee code of conduct, it is stated that part from polite manner and smart appearance, employees’ behaviour should be impeccable at all times. In general, employees are required are required to avoid behaviour that may be perceived as unprofessional.
This is an area in which Delta could learn from Lance Owen, as these statements regarding employee code of conduct will only work to achieve a corporate identity or culture, contributing to improved standards of customer service.
As part of its employee code conduct, Lance Owen also stated that where uniform is prescribed, it should be worn at all times. Delta does not have a designated staff uniform throughout the whole of the organisation. However, this suited to the job carried out by employees, as it is not standard practice for employees to deal with customers face to face, it is more important that they provide helpful assistance in a friendly manner. First impressions are important in any customer-orientated organisation and by issuing a uniform to its staff, Lance Owen aim to reinforce its brand image and perception amongst consumers.
Delta has a limited parking facility for a small amount of customers and staff in contrast to Lance Owen who have excessive parking vacancies with regard to the expected number of customers at any one time. Again, it would seem that both companies have invested in this area, based upon meeting the needs of their own customers. It should be stated that Delta customers will not normally go into the store itself and therefore Delta aims to cater for the minority of its customers who may wish to inspect the premises for initiating any business. Delta has exceeded satisfactory commitments in this area, providing enough vacancies for the projected amount of people at any one time. Lance Owen customers will nearly always come into the store, and the company must be more excessive in catering for customers who drive. It would seem that by providing an extensive parking facility, the company will exceed customer parking expectations.
In the way of parking, both companies are demonstrating a willingness to satisfy customer expectations, avoiding the chance of complaints.
Lance Owen have a Presentation Manager allocated to each store, again this would not be particularly applicable to Delta, whose customers will not normally come into the store. A Presentation Manager is responsible for the overall presentation of the store and ensuring that customers have a pleasant shopping experience, - they will check the store for cleanliness three times a day. Lance Owen aim to develop a competitive advantage over competitors by providing customers with a neatly, well-presented store. If Delta did employ a Presentation Manager, catering for the minority of customer who do come into the store, it would not prove to be very cost-effective, and it could be predicted that the disadvantage would outweigh the advantages.
All Lance Owen premises are constantly monitored by CCTV, which can only help to make customers feel secure when dealing with the company. This could be an important consideration for Delta who may wish to strengthen security for all of the company’s stakeholders.
In the Delta Customer Services Department, Delta employ customer care staff, that each have allocated customers. The customer care staff are responsible for providing their customers with a high quality efficient service. This is very different to Lance Owen, who have customer care staff that deal with prospective or existing customers via the customer care department. Both organisations employ methods that suit the nature of the business.
Delta is based on the rapport customer care assistants build up with customers and having an allocated Customer Care assistant is an effective way of dealing with enquiries, suggestions and complaints. Lance Owen on the other hand, has Customer care department where all customers can make enquiries, suggestion and complaints. As Lance Owen has a large number of small customers, this is more cost effective than having delegated assistants allocated to each customer. Delta has fewer, very large customers, so it is important to have an allocated customer care assistant for each account.
Delta employs very informal methods of monitoring and assessing customer service. This may benefit Delta, as it is a small organisation, in which managers can scrutinize the conduct of staff effectively and efficiently. Much business involves having a relationship with customers and therefore, members of customer care will be able to relay general feedback from customers to managerial staff.
Lance Owen is more formal in its approach to monitoring and assessing standards of customer service. It is monitored through the use of customer surveys, mystery shoppers and general internal observation. As Lance Owen is a subsidiary of a relatively large organisation (Vauxhall Motors), it may be that they need to report standards of service at regular intervals to ensure Vauxhall is happy with the way it is represented by Lance Owen.
It is not possible for Delta to have a clear perception of their standards of customer service and its informal approach means that there are not methodical strategies in place for responding to rapidly changing customer requirements. A more formal approach allows a company to establish whether standards are improving or getting worse. Annual comparisons can be made and it is possible to decide on and evaluate strategies employed, in an attempt to improve all round standards of customer service.
It would seem that Lance Owen has a more structured approach to dealing with a wide range of customers. They employ strategies that satisfy a broad range of customer needs. They have a more formal approach to producing internal policies and codes of conduct, - this may be because it is a subsidiary of a very large organisation, whose customer appeal is partly based on achieving high standards of customer service. They are also the more structured of the two organisations when it comes to monitoring and assessing customer service standards, which may also be because Lance Owen needs to report to Vauxhall current standards of practice at regular intervals.
Delta have a more informal approach to customer service and it would seem that as they are relatively small, they aim to adapt certain practices in order to deal with particular customers. Instead of having one department dealing with all customers, - assistants are allocated to each customer, who are expected to ensure the customer receives a satisfactory service. This is a more personal approach than that of Vauxhall.
Both companies employ strategies of providing high quality customer service according to the nature of their own customers. There are great differences in the way it is conducted yet they are the same in that the strategies employed are designed to meet or exceed customer expectations.
A3, Recommendations for improving the quality of customer service in each organisation
(a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd.
Monitoring repeat business
Delta creates customer accounts for all of its customers. Therefore, it is in a good position for monitoring the rate of repeat business.
This may allow the company to establish the customer care advisors, who provide a high quality, efficient service to their allocated customers.
It will also allow the company to realise the customers who are prepared to spend a lot of money on the goods and services Delta has offer. Opening up affordable opportunities for promotion and target marketing, which could possibly result in increased sales.
Investigating the loss of repeat business
If Delta were to more vigorous in its monitoring of repeat business. They would be able to investigate the loss of repeat business. This would be made possible via the use of questionnaires or telephone surveys. These would be conducted in a friendly, polite manner, allowing the company to respond to changing customer needs, whilst constantly monitoring and assessing its customer service standards.
By demonstrating a willingness to investigate reasons for the loss of business, the company will enhance its image, by developing a greater regard for customer perceptions.
Using benchmarks to monitor performance
Benchmarks could be used in areas of customer care or after sales service. This would involve closer scrutiny of current standards of practice and setting targets for customer care staff.
Setting targets for staff will inevitably result in a more ambitious workforce, who becomes increasingly conscious of how they perform on a day-to-day basis.
Increased efficiency and energy amongst members of staff will take the form of improves customer service standards and practices.
Quality circles
Quality circles could be used amongst those who work in the company’s export warehouse.
For team working to be successful it relies on a competent, responsible workforce, who want to improve quality. Their ideas for improvement could be discussed at regular meetings, - quality circles. This is management philosophy, rather than a quality improvement technique.
A quality circle is a group of workers who meet at frequent and regular intervals to discuss problems encountered in their work with a view to discovering a solution.
Problems studied may relate to safety, productivity, cost reduction, improving the working environment as well as quality; the solution is likely to impact on all areas, including customer service.
Delta would need to invest more time into developing its workforce; for quality circles to be effective the business needs a well-educated and trained workforce capable of receiving, analysing and solving problems.
If they are properly managed, they will encourage and motivate the work team to take pride in its work and accept responsibility for output.
Improving training and development
Delta could take a more dedicated approach to training and developing members of staff. They could issue a training and development policy document, stating the ways in which the company aims to develop and train its workforce. Again, benchmarking would be an effective way of developing a more competent workforce.
Establish league tables of performance based upon customer feedback
If Delta were to become stricter in its scrutinizing of customer satisfaction, it may be able to establish league tables for customer care advisors based upon customer feedback, with an award granted at the end of each month.
This would motivate the workforce to become more critical of the way customers are handled. It is likely that standards of customer service would improve and members of staff would become more competitive and ambitious, resulting in increased efficiency.
(b) Lance Owen
Service and Parts Team should be fully accountable for services provided to the customer
Members of the Service and Parts Team should be held fully accountable for services provided to the customer. Should any services prove defective, it should by the related employees responsibility to replace the service originally provided, free of charge (in unpaid time).
This would lead to a high standard of service being available to the customer, because employees would be unwilling to replace defective services without pay and would therefore become more dedicated in their approach to providing high quality services.
This could have negative repercussions on members of staff, who would feel that this is an unfair policy. However, it is likely that these would be the members of staff who carry out defective would on a regular basis.
Rewards for employees who work well
Members of staff who work in sales orientated departments could be offered commission base pay or rewards for meeting or exceeding proposed sales targets. This would result in a better standard of service being provided as it is likely that sales assistants would be anxious to impress the customer in hope of achieving sales,
This could also have a negative affect, as employees will not be in a position to provide sound, impartial advice, as they will be primarily aiming for an increase in sales.
