How good service can be crucial to customer satisfaction
I am convinced, good service is synonymous with customer satisfaction and, furthermore, good profitability of the project.
But what is service? I would say, to simplify, everything in a project that is not the product: the tool, the report, the software component, etc. Specifically, I would classify it into 2 main groups:
- Project management (excluding team management): scope management, risk management, timeline management, SLA management, expectation management, financial management, project control and monitoring, etc.
The work done in this section can be documented in a report.
The result is largely measurable and objective. We can easily agree: you have managed the project well or not.
- Pure” service. Tasks performed that are intangible and difficult to measure. The result depends on perception, it is not objective.
I would include in this point, for example: response time to a client’s request or problem, demonstrated proactivity, closeness to the business and client’s problems, flexibility, communication, etc.
We probably won’t find this classification anywhere because it is not very academic, but from my point of view, very real.
Accepting then that on one hand we have the product, on the other hand the service and within the service, project management and “pure” service, the most basic reflections I would make regarding these concepts would be as follows:
- IT service providers focus a lot on product and little on service. A huge mistake, in my opinion, because without service the project’s success (the quality of the product) is subject to the low probability of “getting it right.” Getting it right with scope, getting it right with deliveries, getting it right with priorities… Getting it right with so many variables is practically impossible.
I agree with the saying “what makes a product good or bad is the implementer (the service).” Probably that’s why there is such a high failure rate in ERP implementations.
- Companies that manage projects well have a good chance of satisfying the customer and, furthermore, achieving optimal project profitability. As long as we have sold the project fairly and accurately, with a good proposal for professional collaboration (prior commercial work before project execution). I would say that project management is an essential service for the successful progress of the project. But in Hispanic culture, we often skimp on this aspect. What’s more, when we detect poor management (if we do), it is usually too late. And many times, we still fail to correct it. This leads to our ability to make decisions or the lack of vision to invest in something with such clear returns.
Continuing with contradictions, there are few tools, little practical methodology (excluding large and hard-to-interpret books), and few professionals capable of performing good project management work. At Kiteris, we offer our knowledge and experience in project management. How to adapt methodologies to our real case, how to use tools. We operate project offices for clients who do not have the capacity or time to do so – Learn more about Kiteris services.
- Poorly managed projects are synonymous with failure; well-managed ones are not a guarantee of success. In my opinion, guarantees can only be achieved through intangibles. That’s why the provision of technological services is such a complex world because it involves the application of a certain art. Perception comes into play.
The greater or lesser skill and sensitivity in providing intangibles will give us the necessary differential for project success.
Only when the client is able to empathise with us will we be able to ensure that problems (inevitable) have a happy ending. And they will only empathise if we provide them with the means to do so, taking the definitive step ourselves.
It is true that even then, we may encounter difficulties, but they will be exceptional cases, very difficult clients. Perhaps in such cases, it may be most appropriate to part ways with the client at the right time.
At Kiteris, we pursue a culture of “passion for service,” deeply rooted in the thinking and actions of the company’s partners and transmitted daily to all teams.
