Customer service vs. Customer experience 25 th February 2014
Key theme Explore the differences between Customer Service and Customer Experience and what it means from the position of an outsourced property and facilities management provider using examples from the Five D business.
Agenda 1. Who we are and what we do 2. How do we deliver customer service excellence 3. What we know about outsourced contracts 4. Customer Service vs. Customer Experience 5. What is the key to superior contract performance?
Who we are Launched in 2003 Five D is now Australia s largest privately owned property and facilities management service provider. Our key statistics illustrate our capability; 2.2 million square metres of space under management $750 million in rent roll pa 5000+ sites managed nationally Over 20 clients across sectors including Commonwealth and State Government, retail, commercial, residential, research and development, pharmaceutical, travel, rail, media, child care and aged care and retirement living.
What we do Five D delivers the full suite of outsourced property and facilities management services to clients across Australia and Papua New Guinea with owned and leased portfolios.
Why am I here? Five D has grown 400% in the past 4 years. In the past 24 months we have signed, renewed or extended large national contracts with; Flight Centre Government Property NSW Australian Federal Police Goodstart Early Learning Carnival Cruises APN News and Media ASQA Department of Finance DEPI Aurizon Reckitts Benckiser
Other indicators we understand customer service Celebrated 10 years in business in October 2013 BRW Top 500 Private companies 2013 FMA - Service Provider of the Year Awards 2013 (finalist) Deloitte Growth Business of the Year 2013 (finalist) Telstra Business Awards 2013 - medium business category (finalist)
So what do we do right? We employ people with strong technical capability and values alignment We apply a Five D Family philosophy to our people, clients and customers We understand our value proposition and can articulate it clearly We know our ideal client profile partners vs. clients We are flexible and responsive in our approach to building a service model
And what else? We recognise and respond to the difference between Customer Service and Customer Experience.
What is customer service? Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. According to Turban et al. (2002),[1] "Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation. (Wikipedia 2014)
What is customer experience? Customer experience (CX) is the sum of all experiences a customer has with a supplier of goods and/or services, over the duration of their relationship with that supplier. This can include awareness, discovery, attraction, interaction, purchase, use, cultivation and advocacy. Analysts and commentators who write about customer experience and customer relationship management have increasingly recognized the importance of managing the customer's experience (Wikipedia 2014)
What s the difference for property and facilities management contracts? Customer service KPI driven Client focussed Driven by process and systems Short term value Limited area of influence Contractual relationship Performance / contract metrics Customer experience Customer satisfaction driven Customer focussed Driven by people and relationship Long term value Expanded area of influence Emotional experience Business growth, increased revenue, return custom, client surveys, brand awareness, brand reputation etc
Some good everyday examples Hotels that welcome you by name Upgrades on airlines Best table at your favourite restaurant with free dessert VIP access to upmarket sales Branded collateral when you buy a new car These actions create an emotional response and make people feel special and more loyal to a brand. This is the emotional response we want to elicit from the end users of the property we manage through the delivery of superior services.
Process + Systems + People
Rising above the contractual How can organisations maximise contract performance and rise above the contractual? 1. Liberate people from managing transactions to delivering solutions that meet end user needs. 2. Reengineer business processes to reduce unnecessary duplication. 3. Invest in innovative systems platforms to automate transactions and enhance reporting functionality and visibility. 4. Align service provider output with key business plan drivers. 5. Empower people to rise above the BAU and operate in the customer experience realm!
Understand your customer s needs It is not unusual to have a single contract with multiple clients, customers & key stakeholders ie retail, commercial, corporate, special use etc Various drivers may not reflect the ultimate service experience needs of your customer or the end user. For this reason you need to align service provider performance measures with the end user or customer as well as your client and key stakeholders. This means engaging with clients and customers at all levels when developing performance measures. A one size does not fits all approach does not apply to performance frameworks.
Communicate as partners Meet regularly with you client, customers and stakeholders. Be clear what you can and cant deliver and why. Build a joint strategy as partners for change and success. Apply change manage management principles and engage your people. Agree outcomes based on business drivers and customer experience metrics. Listen hard and act fast!
Examples of how we do this AEC we convert all work orders to Priority 1 in 3 month lead up to election cycle. Goodstart we deliver children's books to remote centres to support our clients values and the end user needs. Australia Post - Help desk pizza delivery for emergency call out workers! DEPI in fire season we escalate all work orders up one priority level. Flight Centre insurance claim consolidation for Queensland floods to reduce excess. Aveo opening up the help desk to the aged care residents so that they can access safe, commercial and reliable contractors.
Energising our people Our Five D Future programme fosters thought leadership, global best practice and encourages Five D people to think outside the square through a range of leadership and educational initiatives including sustainability community diversity thought leadership future leaders.
Questions?