Consider five key service process platforms that are shaping the future – as companies look to service to keep pace with customer expectations. Service income is accelerating. Technology is changing the competitive game, and smart companies need the proper IT strategy to make sure they deploy it for profitability.
Differentiation Through
Service Excellence
Driving Customer Loyalty and
Service Profitability
SAP White Paper Customer Relationship ManagementContent
^ 4 Executive Summary
^ 5 Importance of Promoting Service Excellence 5 The Status Quo Is Not Sustainable 6 The Shift in Emphasis in Customer Service Agendas
^ 7 Platforms for Process Innovation and Business Transformation 7 Integrated Virtual Call Centers 8 Integrated Service Networks 8 Proactive Aftersales Service 8 Customer Touch-Point Management 9 Smart Service Agents
^10 Best Practices for Value Creation
^12 An Integrated Approach Yields Superior Service Process Performance 12 The Importance of Data and Process Integration 12 Service Features of SAP Customer Relationship Management 13 For More InformationExecutive Summary
A Strategic Approach: Investing in New
Service Process Platforms
The importance of achieving service excellence is growing. Products are increasingly becoming commodities, and CEOs are recognizing that first-rate service is crucial to enhancing customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, customers are communicating their service experiences - good and bad - for all to see on the Internet. And while rates of revenue growth are flattening in many product businesses, service income is accelerating. In short, service delivery is a moment of truth that can determine customer loyalty and profitable growth.
Of course, you need to consider the support and embedded software that By considering these platforms and proper strategic approach. For example, enables remote diagnostics. These adopting them as appropriate, you will be you may need to determine whether to technologies will alter customer expec well on the road to differentiating your harvest your installed base for new rev tations and change the game for you brand and offerings. In addition, you enues, use services as a springb oard and your competitors. will need to take into account implefor product sales growth, or develop an mentation best practices and the role independent services business. Based on our discussions with leaders of integ rated systems to enable new in companies in many industries, as processes. Finally, by establishing and And you need to recognize that the well as with thought leaders in the monitoring strategically aligned metrics status quo is not sustainable. With the services arena, we have identified five in your services implementation, you will proliferation of products, customer key service process platforms that will be in a solid position to genera te new segments, and channels, your current shape the future: growth and superior shareholder value approach will need to evolve substan . Integrated virtual call centers for the long run.tially to keep pace with customer expec . Integrated service networkstations. New technologies abound, . Proactive aftersales service including Web 2.0 developments that . Customer touch-point managementallow virtual communities to provide . Smart service agents
4 SAP White Paper - Differentiation Through Service ExcellenceImportance of Promoting
Service Excellence
Seeking New Sources
of Competitive Advantage
Companies in every industry are are realizing that poor service will drive There are many motivations for change increasingly recognizing the need to away their customers: an Accenture in the approach to service delivery. One achieve service excellence to sustain study found that poor service is the is the growing complexity of products, profitable growth. This is true in part principal reason that consumers choose markets, channels, and processes. Inno2because the traditional sources of to switch providers. vation is accelerating and driving creation competitive advantage are vanishing. of new products for customers in countExpectations for service quality are less segments - in different geog raphies, Product features can be duplicated rising around the globe. Through im with varying sensitivities to price, and quickly by competitors from anywhere proved access to both traditional media with a variety of demands for aesthearound the globe, and price advantages can be instantly eroded because of ubiquitous access to Internet-based Service excellence does more than purely allowing your shopping. High-quality service can be... [download for more]
