Working Model for Customer Service Need Defining and Evaluation : developed to fit the strategy of the case company
Patrikainen, Elisa (2023)
2023
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202305098510
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202305098510
Tiivistelmä
The objective of the study was to create a working model for customer service need defining and evaluating if those needs are feasible and strategical fit for the case company. The company has been seen purely as an instrumentation provider, but the company’s strategy states that the company should be seen as a service and solution provider in the future. Selling service and forming service agreements are main goals in the company’s strategy but implementing the strategy into action and getting results has been difficult. To achieve the strategic goals and growth targets set for the service business, the company must first define what the customer service needs truly are and if they are potential for the company as well.
The research approach of the study is the design research, and the study includes four stages. The first stage is a literature review of the existing knowledge and best practices to form a clear understanding of how the customer service need defining, and evaluation process should be carried through. The next stage is a current state analysis gathering the strengths and weaknesses of the existing way of working. The third stage is a co-creation of the initial working model for the case company utilizing the conceptual framework and aiming to cover the identified weaknesses found and emphasize the strengths. The fourth and last stage is a validation round of the initial working model and piloting with the customer. In addition, a recommendation for the next steps and for implementation are suggested.
The main issue found during the study was that common way of executing customer service need defining did not exist and sales managers have their own way of executing and documenting. The new working model was created to form a structured, common way of working with clear guidelines on how to execute the service need assessment, document it and take further actions in service value creation together with the customer. By improving the process of customer service need defining and analyzing, the case company can focus the limited resources efficiently to those customers that offers true potential for multidimensional value creation. The working model supports the realization of the strategy and helps in achieving the service growth targets.
The research approach of the study is the design research, and the study includes four stages. The first stage is a literature review of the existing knowledge and best practices to form a clear understanding of how the customer service need defining, and evaluation process should be carried through. The next stage is a current state analysis gathering the strengths and weaknesses of the existing way of working. The third stage is a co-creation of the initial working model for the case company utilizing the conceptual framework and aiming to cover the identified weaknesses found and emphasize the strengths. The fourth and last stage is a validation round of the initial working model and piloting with the customer. In addition, a recommendation for the next steps and for implementation are suggested.
The main issue found during the study was that common way of executing customer service need defining did not exist and sales managers have their own way of executing and documenting. The new working model was created to form a structured, common way of working with clear guidelines on how to execute the service need assessment, document it and take further actions in service value creation together with the customer. By improving the process of customer service need defining and analyzing, the case company can focus the limited resources efficiently to those customers that offers true potential for multidimensional value creation. The working model supports the realization of the strategy and helps in achieving the service growth targets.