Customer experience does not stop after implementing an IT solution

Do business service providers adequately address customer expectations during and after implementation processes? Read about three aspects customers care about when it comes to expectation and perception. This article was published on 28-8-2018 at managersonline.co.uk - by Richard van der Lee)

Exceeding customer expectations

The approach of business service providers is mostly to ensure that customers are satisfied with the services provided. Indeed, service providers prefer to exceed customer expectations. This is also a necessity, because in this dynamic market, it is difficult to continue doing business without satisfied customers.

What goes well and what could be better

So to achieve all this, it is important to know the impact of the deployment delivered to clients. These are the learning moments, where, as a service provider, you want to keep what is good and improve what could be better. Ultimately, the subsequent insights and actions should lead to service improvements resulting in higher customer satisfaction or a more positive customer experience.

Customer experience does not stop after implementation

But yes, this does not stop after delivery of the service and/or product. In this, take implementations of new systems as an example. The customer experience does not stop after the technical implementation of a new IT system. Especially for service providers involved in this, this is an ongoing concern. After all, many IT projects 'run under the surface' and, as a result, the client does not have a direct view and feeling for the quality delivered. The satisfaction, which initially exists through, for instance, good information provision and personal contact, can quickly change when end users come up with questions/complaints that cannot be answered internally and/or resistance in various forms. This therefore requires excellent service and corresponding follow-up even after implementation.

Customer expectations?

The key questions in this one are:

What is the customer's expectation
How do customers experience the service?

By the way, the last question is deliberately phrased in the present tense, because, as mentioned, it does not stop after implementation and maintaining the existing relationship with customers is very important. Incidentally, of course, this is not only important for service providers in IT.

What do customers care about

When it comes to customer expectations, in relation to customer queries and requests, you regularly see the same issues recurring in practice. This was also confirmed some time ago by research firm Statisfact. Several studies, in relation to customer expectation and IT service management services within organisations, show that the aspects below are important when answering the question: what do customers care about?

The lead time of the journey from customer request/request to final solution/response.
The interim feedback when a solution/answer is not immediately available.
The quality of the solution or answer provided and the associated customer experience.

Still, something to consider as a business service provider during the next implementation assignment. Knowing all this, Sam Walton's statement is therefore very fitting to end with:

"Exceed your customer's expectations. If you do, they'll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more."