Technology from IT pioneers made an impact on businesses because they made the process of communication more efficient and information could be shared faster and quicker. That was how it began; better business is all about improved customer satisfaction, which can be achieved through effective communication. Even in this world of cloud-based software as a service, just better internal communication can save time and money, improve productivity, and most importantly, lead to higher customer satisfaction.
Prepared to face the customer?
In the warranty ecosystem, suppliers and distributors are vital because they create an impression on customers. Suppliers are responsible for parts which make or break a customer’s experience with products. Distributors, who may often be dealers of the final product, are in direct contact with customers, helping them choose products, and later telling them if their problem can be resolved under warranty.
Manufacturers like to be in control of such communications. As a result, cloud-based systems help a great deal. With dealers and distributors spread around the globe, manufacturers can use notification systems and real-time communication, as if the dealers were just an interface. That is gradually turning into reality and improving service turnarounds throughout the manufacturing world.
Service teams and communication
Even more vital to a manufacturer’s reputation is its service team. The sluggish process consumers dreaded earlier included waiting for a service that would first turn up, ship the product to a repair station, and respond with a positive message if the repairs were validated by the warranty policy. However, the right communication systems should speed up that process and help customers know up-front how the problem in a particular HVAC system, vehicle, or television set is going to be resolved. Customers should also find prompt answers to what’s the waiting time, will the warranty apply post-repair and more.
Swift communication between service teams and manufacturers is a challenge owing to disparate geographies. Moreover, it’s usually a customer service that lodges complaints, with customers hoping to find a voice that will help resolve the problem quickly. The warranty workflow begins with information about the complaint reaching the OEM. It validates the claim, and depending on the type of snag, service personnel are dispatched. Thankfully, it’s getting quicker with cloud-based systems nowadays.
Your IT capabilities
If you have planned to upgrade your warranty system, set a high priority for its communication capabilities. Be it for fleet vehicles or consumer goods, cloud communication should enable you to receive customer complaints as soon as they dial your customer service number. After checking protocol, you should be able to communicate to the right service team in the customer’s geography. The team must be bestowed with the capability of checking the product for the reported issue, conditions of use, and again, communicate the same without delay.
Developers around the world had been fettered by the lack of a framework which allowed seamless connectivity. Most of their ideas would fall apart in boardroom meetings because of feasibility issues. Only a few years back did that change with the cloud. Manufacturers can now ask their developers to provide cloud-based communication, which can be used for efficient consumer service, fleet management and more.
Author Bio
Preethi vagadia is currently a Senior Business architect with the Service operations practice at a well-known IT Industry in Bangalore. She has worked in several process improvement projects involving multi-national teams for global customers. She has over 8 years of experience in warranty administration services and has successfully executed several projects in Logistics management, Logistics Integration, Reverse logistics, Warranty software and Programmatic Solutions.
