Another term for customer service within the manufacturing field is facing operations. The term is bestowed on the people whose faces are often seen by the people who buy the products. Facing operations, however, entail more than customer liaison. The personnel in this department find themselves performing tech support, small business advisory and industry consultant roles in addition to selling the products. To do so requires a vast knowledge of the equipment engineering, usage, maintenance, and repair.
The facing operations are thus one of the most important within the company. Eagle Technologies Group is one firm that uses its customer care department as a full sales and service front. Other firms can do the same, maximizing this important department to its full potential.
3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Customer Service
1. Thorough Training
A close look at the training methods of firms reveals that good customer facing operations consist of personnel that are cross-trained in dealing with and serving the public in addition to the engineering and basic IT that most customers tend to call about. This gives the representative the appearance of coming from a company that knows its product very well. These facing operations employees can address most of the routine and basic issues, leaving the major issues to the professionals within the company.
2. Keep the Departments but Add Communication
Yes, IT and engineering departments are necessary. In taking the minor and moderate calls and conferences, the cross-trained customer care increases the efficiency of the engineering and IT departments, while keeping customers happy. And, all it takes is a little extra training when the facing operation employee is hired. Additionally, an open line of communications between these departments will allow for faster and more accurate solutions as the customer care employee can access the expert advice as needed.
3. Set Solid Boundaries
Despite the cross training, the customer care employee must be able to network with clients and sell more product. To ensure that the sale doesn’t get in the way of customer care, each company must set standards or rules for conduct, behavior, and overall ethics. Its managers must support as well as positively reinforce the practices of the customer care team. These boundaries ensure mutual respect for client and employee that will keep the client returning for more products.
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Customer service is a phrase that is often evoked in retail, but must be attended to in manufacturing as well. Thus, building and maintaining a proper team can greatly affect not only sales, but long term relationships with clients too.