In previous blogs, my DCS colleagues have explained how our company sets itself apart from others in numerous ways. Not only do we offer comprehensive consulting services and brand-agnostic solutions that ensure our customers attain the optimal system that meets their needs and budget, but we also leverage multiple strategies to cut project durations. Through our relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), design and engineering practices, creative freight and logistics planning, strategic site selection partnerships, and expanded project management teams, we do everything possible to successfully launch a project.
As a company that puts a major emphasis on the steps leading up to the commissioning and go-live of a project, it would be reasonable to expect that DCS also prioritizes customer service. Indeed, we do! As material handling systems integrators, DCS is committed to delivering high quality customer experiences on every project we undertake. My peers on the customer service team — and, in fact, everyone in our organization — are committed to practices, attitudes, and strategies aimed at meeting and exceeding customer expectations.
With a mission to deliver the best customer and employee experience in the industry, DCS’ customer-centric culture drives our dedication to ensuring complete customer satisfaction. Not only is it the right thing to do, but when done effectively, high quality customer service also contributes to DCS’ long-term business success and growth.
How do we do it? Here are eight key practices we follow — as material handling systems integrators — to ensure we deliver the highest quality customer service to each and every DCS customer:
- Effective, active listening. At DCS, we believe in actively listening to customers. To better understand their needs and concerns, we strive to be completely focused, attentive, and ask open-ended questions during every interaction. This allows us to more quickly assess their problem, situation, or concern so we can provide the optimal solution as fast as possible.
- Responsive communication and accessibility. A customer should never feel ignored. That’s why we promptly acknowledge and address customer inquiries and issues with a personal response from one of our team members — never a chatbot or automated reply. We also recognize that not everyone prefers the same mode of communication. For that reason, we make it easy for customers to contact us, 24/7. DCS welcomes phone calls, emails, chat messages, texts, and other communication methods (I’m still waiting for that carrier pigeon!). Further, our scheduling always ensures someone to be available to promptly respond to a customer. Also, at the beginning of a project cycle, we provide the customer’s team with multiple channels to contact both their DCS project management team and the customer service team. As the project draws to a close, we make sure the customer has all the necessary contacts to arrange for — and answer questions about — training and spare parts.
- Professionalism in all interactions. It always stuns me to hear about businesses who treat their customers as an annoyance. Nobody appreciates that kind of treatment. Everyone at DCS always treats customers with politeness and respect. We really do care deeply about our customers and their systems. Therefore we demonstrate empathy and understanding when acknowledging their feelings. Each interaction shows we genuinely share a customer’s concerns about the issues they ask us to help resolve.
- Full transparency and honesty. Closely related to communication, quality customer service includes being open and honest with customers, because trust is built on transparency. For that reason, we believe it’s essential to routinely share progress reports and updates, both positive and negative. Sometimes delays happen, limitations arise, a lack of resources occurs, or other issues develop. Regardless, DCS prioritizes sharing all developments and — more importantly — what we’re doing to resolve any issues that threaten a project’s progress.
- Consistency and timeliness. Another key to providing high quality customer service is prompt delivery and adherence to deadlines. Likewise, consistency should be prioritized. That is, the level of service experienced by each customer should be the same across all interactions. Customers know what to expect when they engage with DCS’ customer service department and appreciate that we respect their time.
- In-depth system knowledge for faster problem solving. DCS places great importance on having a team of highly knowledgeable material handling systems integrators that possess a deep understanding of each customer’s system and equipment. This enables us to provide informed answers to questions and to be proactive in addressing problems and finding solutions. DCS customers know our people can solve their issues. Likewise, even callers who are not DCS customers get the same high level of service! For example, there used to be a system integrator located in Michigan — also named DCS — that ceased operations over a decade ago. However, we occasionally get phone calls or emails about systems or equipment installed by that vendor. Even though technically these callers aren’t our customers, we make every effort to help them. Our team will provide them with contact information for the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or another vendor who can help them address the issue they’re having, or find the parts they’re seeking.
- Comprehensive customer training and education. Not only does DCS prioritize training our internal customer service team, but also training of our customers. A significant part of our role involves assembling electronic and hard copy system documentation, schematics, and user manuals for each solution DCS deploys. We also travel on-site to provide equipment operation and maintenance training as a system approaches its fully operational state. It’s crucial that our customers are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully use and service their system. The more they know about how their equipment functions, the easier it is for us to remotely help them troubleshoot issues should they arise for faster resolution.
- Feedback and follow-up. After a customer’s system or equipment is installed, the DCS customer service team proactively follows up to ensure they are satisfied. We also find that, after a system has been in use for a period of time, new questions or concerns can arise. It’s important to address those to help customers grow their own knowledge and understanding of the system and its components. Additionally, we encourage customers to provide feedback, share their thoughts, and offer suggestions. Their opinions are not only valued, but also frequently lead to changes in our own processes and practices so that we can further improve customer service quality and increase customer satisfaction.
As an example, based on customer feedback we now provide more than just the OEM’s equipment manuals as part of a customer’s final documentation package once the system is complete. It hadn’t occurred to us to include those details until one customer’s maintenance team asked if it was possible to get manuals for the sensors, bearings, and motors used in their system. We realized that all our customers would benefit from having copies of this information as well. Since 2021 we provide that deeper level of documentation for every system, giving DCS customers more tools to help their employees repair and maintain their equipment.
High Quality Customer Service Benefits DCS Too
As mentioned before, DCS believes providing high quality customer service is the right thing to do. However, that commitment is more than just a reflection of the high regard with which we hold our customers. It’s also proven to be an essential foundation for building a strong, sustainable business as material handling systems integrators. Customers return to us — and refer us to others — because we deliver quality solutions that we back with superior support. In turn, that customer loyalty has had a positive impact on DCS’s image and reputation. In a highly competitive market, the high-quality customer service we provide is just another way DCS differentiates itself and contributes to our continued success.
How can you benefit from a high-quality customer service experience? Connect with us to learn more about how partnering with DCS will improve your operations.
AUTHOR:
Stephen Burk
Client Support Training Lead
stephenb@designedconveyor.com
