Today, in the conditions of intensive development of the market system, effective, profitable management with the absolute economic independence of companies is of key importance. This, in turn, enhances the role of business optimization. In conditions of high competition, one of the priority areas is the organization of services . The key principles of work are quality, safety, professionalism. Let us further consider what its essence is .
Service: general characteristic
Why has the service issue become relevant today? One of the key ways to achieve the competitiveness of an enterprise in the market is effective service. This direction does not depend on the scope of the company.
It doesn’t matter what the company does - it produces products or works, quality service is considered the only strategic decision that allows you to get ahead of other enterprises.
Within the framework of market relations , the service system must be constantly improved. Enterprises need to periodically update the list of works, adding to it the most relevant to the needs of customers, the capabilities of the companies themselves.
Service is a way to attract a large number of customers. It allows you to increase sales volumes of products, increase the profitability of the enterprise, its competitiveness. The company will not be able to work in the market without paying due attention to constantly changing external factors. In this case, an in-depth study of processes, analysis and forecasting of the situation are necessary.
Service concept
Service is a complex of measures carried out in the process of acquisition, delivery, subsequent maintenance of products. The service is aimed at consumers of material flow. They may be production associations, distribution enterprises, end users of goods.
Product support may be carried out by different entities. For example, a large enterprise can create a service center. Service is provided by forwarding companies involved in the supply process.
If we consider the concept broadly, then service is a set of functions, types of activities of the company’s subsystems that ensure interaction with consumers in the context of each information and material flow according to the parameters of quality, nomenclature, cost, time, place of delivered products, according to market requests.
Classification
The following services are available:
- Customer Satisfaction.
- The provision of production services. This includes the entire range of product services offered. Service begins from the moment of execution of the purchase agreement until the time of delivery.
- After-sales service.
- Information service. It involves providing the consumer with information regarding products, service procedures. When providing services, special methods of data processing and transmission are used.
- Financial and credit service.
Demand satisfaction service
It represents an aggregate characteristic of the quality of services provided by consumers. The key indicators in this case are:
- Order method.
- Availability, frequency, time, uptime, quality of supply.
- The level of completeness and loading and unloading.
After sales service
It includes a range of services aimed at ensuring the efficient use of products throughout the entire life cycle within the framework of existing market conditions. After-sales service is carried out before and after the sale of products. It includes the following activities:
- Formulation of requirements for after-sales service. Parameters are determined at the stage of product development together with the manufacturer.
- Formation of the list of services provided to consumers after the sale of goods.
- Determining the after-sales service order at the stage of discussion of delivery conditions.
- Training of specialists for repair and maintenance work.
- Development and approval of technical documents.
- Providing spare parts and tools necessary for after-sales service.
- Service management after the sale of goods.
- Preparation of infrastructure for the implementation of the service.
- Development of a program for the replacement of products with its modern modifications, a system for the disposal of old products.
Service Principles
Customer service will be effective when:
- Maximum compliance with market requirements, the nature of the products used.
- The inextricable connection of service and marketing, its key tasks.
- The flexibility of the service system, its focus on accounting for changing market requirements, customer needs.
- Delivery of the product to the place of operation with minimization of costs and risks of damage along the way.
- Bringing the product into working condition, demonstrating it in action.
- Ensuring the readiness of the product for use throughout the entire time spent with the consumer.
- Prompt delivery of spare parts. For this, special warehouses are formed, close interaction is established between manufacturers of parts.
A prerequisite for effective service is the regular collection and systematization of information about the condition of the delivered product during its operation by consumers. Particular attention should be paid to suggestions, complaints, customer comments.