The Service Revolution

Wenn die Kundenstimme sich erhebt,

2011-11-16T08:41:00.001+01:00

es mächtig im Web-Gebälke bebt.

Wenn gesagtes Wort und Realität diametral auseinanderfallen. #o2 #CustomerService

Fünf vor Zwölf!

Dreaming about Perfection

2011-02-05T09:53:00.001+01:00

... everybody of us feels instantly when service is bad,
or even decreasing. What is it that we value this experience
against? Is it something we have inherently in us?

Dreaming about the perfect process. (chapter).

Press 2 to ..... blablabla

2011-01-30T10:01:00.001+01:00

Muss man da mehr sagen? Service? Was will uns der outgesourcte Serviceprovider damit mitteilen?

Haben die Kollegen einen Personalengpass? Aus welchem Grund? In welcher Weise wird die Zeit "verkürzt"?

Telekom_hilft - seit Mai am Start, und das exponentiell ;-)

2011-01-26T22:55:00.002+01:00

IT Beratung über Twitter kann schon tricky werden, und in Verbindung mit Skype oder ähnlichem Tools, um Bildschirm des Kunden zu sehen wird's einfach. Jahrelang bei BMW mit den Kollegen vom Vertrieb durchgeführt (via Netmeeting ;-))

Da sprüht die Passion des Problemlösens förmlich aus dem Tweet - so liebe ich Kundenservice. Gespannt, ob es dann auch alles geklappt hat.
Da kann sich so mancher Riese, wie z.B. DHL echt was abgucken. Da musste ich erst IMs in den internen Reihen aktivieren bis ich überhaupt eine Antwort erhielt (und auch nur das, was ich schon wusste. #fail

Movistar, Movistar, the mobile star

2011-01-25T23:48:00.000+01:00

What a service?! Haven't you experienced similar? (via DirkSpannaus)

... putting oneself on the line

2010-12-24T00:24:00.002+01:00

TonyBates, CEO of Skype, apologizing for the latest downtime of Skype and what are the next action.

That is what I call AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP - Thanks Tony for taking the courage!

Tim O'Reilly & Gary Hamel in conversation on Biz 2.0

2010-12-10T22:49:00.001+01:00

Dialog of the two on how service will be influenced by the web.

Intelligence is in the periphery - Gary Hamel (and so true!)
Data - Culture of Measurement - Feedback Loops - Results - (and round we go, it's then called PDCA-cycle by Dr. Deming ;-)) Tim O'Reilly

Paul Levy (CEO of the BIDMC Hospital Boston) - as the role model for customer service :-)

.... what is the outcome that we really really WANT?

Engaging the customer, visitor, or fan - an adventure

2010-12-04T08:19:00.001+01:00

NinaSimon, a museum enthusiast running the Museum 2.0 blog, is a constant inspiration for exploring the deeper secrets to engage your customers, visitors, fans, and even potential folks you are not yet aware of.

Books with insights on how to engage them -not only in the museum context- but read yourself.

Kleines Klagelied über eine Anschlusskündigung

2010-12-02T13:54:00.004+01:00

UPDATE (1) 2011-12-02

UPDATE (2) 2010-12-03

UPDATE (3) 2011-01-26
Inzwischen hab ich die schriftliche Kündigungsbestätigung erhalten, auch die zu viel gezahlten Rechnungen wurden zurückgebucht. Doch, wie witzig, im Januar trudelte wieder eine Rechnung ein. Ein Anruf bei der Service-Hotline. Nachdem ich meine Kundennummer nannte, sagte der Mitarbeiter nur: "Oh, Sie haben eine Rechnung erhalten, die Sie nicht hätten kriegen dürfen. Wir buchen das wieder zurück." Mal sehen, wann die Posse ihr Ende findet.

Tourism - Service Design Interaction

2010-12-02T08:22:00.000+01:00

Are you not often wondering, why you don't
get the information before hand about certain
activities in the city you visit on holiday (or
even you home town)?

Changing the game through this in close co-
operation with the local visitor information
and marketing institutions opens fully new
paths - and best of all, you need your own
mind (not the consultant's ;-)).

Amazon service fail: disturbing

2010-11-18T12:24:00.002+01:00

Until very recently, I was a big fan of amazon. Over the years, I’ve bought pretty much everything on their platform. Even today I’m waiting for a delivery from Amazon: a washing machine. I just checked – my first order on Amazon was on 19 March 2000 (more than 10 years!).

Now over the last few days I tried to order a whole bunch of things for the company we just founded. Most notably, office chairs, computer screens, rolls of magic paper… For all of these, I hadn’t even realized, Amazon had become my default shop. And this is where it gets tricky. I’ve come to a point where I totally rely on Amazon.

Only this time Amazon didn’t work at all.

I set up a new account for our business, placed a number of orders. Our credit cards haven’t been issued yet, so we opted for payment by bank collection. After placing the first round of orders (two screens), we received mail that only credit card would be a legit payment option in this instance. We switched to my co-founder Igor’s private account, same deal. We learned that breaking up the order in smaller chunks below some magic threshold would do the trick, and indeed it did: we could order the screens by splitting up the order into two. Fine, it’d be nice to learn this thing while on the phone with Amazon, but hey, it’s just a call center, right?

I tried to order office chairs – same procedure, only the splitting up wouldn’t work either. Amazon customer service recommended using my private account, I did – and still no shipping. To be fair, I still insisted on the same payment method to keep things simple for our books. (Mixing private and business purchases makes our accountant sad.)

Now it’s not really a problem that a completely automated payment system has hiccups; it’s normal in complex systems like that. However, what’s really quite a problem is when customer service reps can’t help you and instead send you auto-responders like… (translated)…

“We reserve the right to only accept credit card payments.”
> Fine, but then just offer credit card as payment option.

“We’re sure you’ll understand that we cannot comment on our internal decisions to protect our trade secrets.”
> I’m sure, dear Amazon management, that you will understand that I couldn’t care less about your trade secrets while building a business and trying to send a lot of money your way.

And my favorite:

“Maybe friends or family can help you out with their credit card.”
> Seriously, Amazon, WTF?

Side note: Have you ever noticed that there is no easy way of getting in touch with a real person there? Every time you need to follow up the process starts over, tracking number or no. The replies are also, largely, identical, or at least were in this case.

I’m not even going to go down the path of “customer for more than 10 years” any further. I am, however, quite willing to quote the Cluetrain Manifesto, which incidentally was one of the first books I ever ordered on Amazon, back in August 2000. So here are the first 12 out of the original 95 Theses of Cluetrain:

Markets are conversations.
Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors.
Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice.
Whether delivering information, opinions, perspectives, dissenting arguments or humorous asides, the human voice is typically open, natural, uncontrived.
People recognize each other as such from the sound of this voice.
The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
Hyperlinks subvert hierarchy.
In both internetworked markets and among intranetworked employees, people are speaking to each other in a powerful new way.
These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization and knowledge exchange to emerge.
As a result, markets are getting smarter, more informed, more organized. Participation in a networked market changes people fundamentally.
People in networked markets have figured out that they get far better information and support from one another than from vendors. So much for corporate rhetoric about adding value to commoditized products.
There are no secrets. The networked market knows more than companies do about their own products. And whether the news is good or bad, they tell everyone.

As for our orders: the computer screens eventually arrived. I just cancelled most of the rest of those orders for the time being and went somewhere else. I certainly won’t give up on Amazon for good; but maybe it’s time to remind myself that there are other options out there who might be more willing to accept some incoming business.

Update: A few days later, I just tried to order more things. Guess what – our account is frozen. I’m not sure whether I should even make the effort of sorting it our or seriously move away from Amazon for all business-related purchases, even if that would be a major pain. But the time saved by conveniently shopping through Amazon does not, at this point, make up for the efforts of sorting out the issues Amazon is causing.

On a side note, it’s interesting to see that Amazon doesn’t seem to be doing any monitoring online, and it’s comparatively hard to get a customer service rep on the phone or even to a consistent email conversation.

Update: A few lengthy conversations brought out the fact that in one of our private (!) accounts there was an (allegedly – we can’t trace it anymore) open payment (in the range of 30 Euros) from back in 2006 that just now, all of a sudden, triggered some kind of internal automatic lock-down. Never mind that all of us have been buying from Amazon ever since with no trouble of any kind. Also, never mind that that amount was of course transferred right away, more than a week ago with no effect. Our company account, and the private account, stayed locked.

Update: After a few weeks and another round of very unpleasant conversations and even a snarky call center agent I just deleted our company account. Not sure if we just hit a freak bug in the system or if Amazon customer service has gotten dramatically worse. I have a company to build, though, and my time is too valuable to fix Amazon’s problems. File under “sad, but done”.

(Note: This is cross-posted from thewavingcat.com)

Start at the WORST and go up to the BEST

2010-11-17T21:51:00.000+01:00

UmairHaque, director of HavasMedia, with recent blogpost on HBR.

Get down to your worst place in your organization and change from
there!!!

Apply LeanThinking and you will see what your organization is really
capable :-))

Thanks a lot Umair!!!

Southwest is definitely different in customer connection

2010-11-12T20:43:00.002+01:00

A few minutes ago in my Twitter timeline the following popped up. I wondered what the initial reason for the customer complaint would have been.

This is exactly why I like Southwest (even though I haven't managed to fly with you yet folks) and can only recommend the book on what makes Southwest Airlines special (not only in the airline business but in general).

Thanks a lot Southwest Airlines and looking forward to flying with you next time I am in the U.S. :-)

Wie kaufe ich Socken, wenn mein Sport Ultimate Frisbee heißt?

2010-11-08T10:05:00.000+01:00

Falke-Socken mit den Sportsocken.

Nur wie finde ich die "Richtigen"
im Konfigurator?

Wieviele Stunden verbringe ich im
Webshop bis ich doch bei meinem
Laufladen des Vertrauens die passenden
Socken hole.

??????

The Innovation Journalism Blog: The Intrapreneur's Dilemma

2010-11-06T12:45:00.002+01:00

The Innovation Journalism Blog: The Intrapreneur's Dilemma

Excellence - war gestern!

2010-11-03T23:11:00.002+01:00

.... wann sich das Prozessteam meldet? Womöglich hakt der Prozess, denn .... aber sehen Sie selbst.

Irgendetwas scheint in Deutschlands Unternehmen und Verwaltungen (des öfteren) nicht mit der Geschwindigkeit der übrigen Welt mithalten zu können.

Eine (!) Woche Warten auf die Rückantwort bei DHL (nun direkt als Business angefragt via Homepage) - erscheint mir doch etwas lang, oder?

Customer Excellence

2010-10-25T09:21:00.003+02:00

DHL kann's doch ;-)

Dummerweise habe ich dieses erst am 24.10.2010 nach einem Konzertbesuch in der Semperoper im Spiegel vom 20.09.2010 gefunden - da prankte unübersehbar eine ganzseitige Anzeige.

Flugs im Netz unterwegs, die Seite gesucht http://dhl.de/excellence.

.... und wie war ich überrascht. Umgehend habe ich den Kollegen von dieser Division sogleich eine Nachricht geschrieben. Gespannt, wann das Feedback eintrifft und ob sie das Potential, das in den tiefsten Ecken des Prozesses (und doch ganz dicht vor den Augen liegt) schlummert auch heben möchten?!

Seien wir mal ganz offen und gespannt :-)

Interaction with the Customer - Service Design

2010-10-22T11:21:00.000+02:00

Service Design, an essential part of business - some companies (as mentioned earlier here in the blog) just don't get. What is driving these guys? It is probably the short term cost cutting focus driven by the shareholder (so the assumption probably).

Is that enough?

For a short period of time it works - like a pain killer when you have an headache. BUT then after a while it comes back even worse than before.

Why do companies, as DHL or United Airlines (with the story of the "broken guitar") just keep the "voice of customer" outside their own territory as it may does not exist at all?

.. a mere two weeks ago Prof. RichardBuchanan gave an impressive speech at COINs2010.

So I wonder, what is hindering organizations to adapt to the changing environment of business?

Sad Lie of Service

2010-10-19T23:05:00.000+02:00

.... when the foresight of the management service consultant is going short it's a

Service Lie

Would you believe it? When has it hit you?

A Customer's Dream

2010-10-17T23:06:00.000+02:00

Thinking back to the story with DHL which never been really solved I have a dream:

How cool would have that been if:

1. I as the receiver and former customer of DHL would have got a direct email with the tracking info
2. possibility to connect with the delivery driver on any emerging difficulty
3. checking the address in the first place (while still not sent by sender)

... would that have been possible 30 years ago?

No!

Today we have the WorldWideWeb and social media and open data is emerging faster than ever. And we have fierce competition (it is not the one and only provider, which used to the Deutsche Post) and decentralization.

Finding the easy and resources saving solutions for making:

1. the customer happy
2. the profits go up

is what often is called Lean Thinking.

Life could be so much easier if you just would ask your customer for his personal experience with your service and learn with him together :-)

Boom & Bust in Service Supply Chain

2010-10-14T12:07:00.000+02:00

Changing the service offer (mainly driven by cost pressure) to customers won't show relevant effects directly. However over time, as management thinks everything is fine (even with lowering the service staff), the Bust comes in.

This happened with PeopleExpress (a successful airline right after the deregulation of the US airline market). The company doesn't exist any more.

Could it happen to DHL in a similar way, and the crash comes in with a longer delay?

The video (rather old from the 80's but with relevance to today's business world not changed a single bit) shows what goes on and how delays of customer reactions, and service adaption influences greatly the service supply chain.

Anybody interested in learning more about the dynamics of business check out the WikiSD.

... es wär' zum Lachen wenn's nicht real wäre

2010-10-09T20:01:00.000+02:00

Kundenservice Hamm' mer nicht!

Alternativ zu Schuhen gehen auch Dienstleistungen
rund um Pakete und eine Firma mit 3 Buchstaben.

Realsatire wie es das Leben schreibt (mehr unter dem
Tag DHL)

Gerne führe ich ein Gespräch mit dem Vorstand, jedoch
ist das Meer der Abwimmler unendlich weit (bisher).

Gespannt, wann es sich ändert!

PS.: Der Versender, übrigens zum Mittelstand dieses Landes
zählend bleibt momentan auf seinem Geld sitzen und ärgert sich
nun auch noch mit mir herum (was ihm nicht ganz zu verdenken
ist).

PPS.: Die Verfahrensanweisung für Austräger von DHL ist von
Interesse und wie mit unklaren Adressen umgegangen wird. Trotz
Internet und Web 2.0, Twitter und Co. werden diese Tools bisher
nicht eingesetzt bei Recherche (nach Aussage des Austrägers).

.... und so sieht die "endgültige" Antwort aus

2010-10-06T22:11:00.003+02:00

Am vergangenen Samstag traf ich den Fahrer von DHL, dem das Missgeschick passiert mit der missglückten Auslieferung an die Louisenstraße 61 zu Ralf Lippold. Er musste zugeben, dass er es versäumte, auf das Briefkastenschild zu schauen und ein Bewohner aus dem Haus ihm mitteilte, dass ich nicht mehr Haus wäre.

So ging das Paket zurück ins Briefzentrum nach Ottendorf-Okrilla, wo die Kollegen vom Service in ihren Suchprogrammen keinen Empfänger Ralf Lippold in der Louisenstraße 61 ausfindig machen konnten.

Was in diesem Zusammenhang erstaunt ist, dass Post angeliefert durch die Deutsche Post seit über 9 (!) Monaten korrekt ihren Weg in meine Postadresse findet ;-)

Das Härteste ist jedoch, dass der Versender auf seinem Geld sitzen bleiben soll, da ja alles in Ordnung gelaufen ist.

Kann das sein?

Wenn sich mein letzter Arbeitgeber, BMW, so gegenüber den Kunden verhalten hätte, würde nun kein BMW über die Bänder gehen, denn es gäbe einen Kundenaufstand, der sich gewaschen hätte!

#fail

Von:
Datum: 27. September 2010 13:11:16 MESZ
An:
Betreff: AW: 2010/09-0275280-F01-CSCBER

"Sehr geehrter Herr Lippold,

wir antworten Ihnen auf Ihre unten aufgeführte E-Mail.

In Ihrer unten aufgeführten E-Mail befinden sich keine neuen Gesichtspunkte und somit müssen wir auf unsere vorangegangene Antwort verweisen.

Wir bitte um Verständnis, dass wir weitere Anschreiben bei unveränderter Sachlage in beiderseitigem Interesse als beantwortet betrachten werden.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
DHL-Kundenservice

DHL Vertriebs GmbH & Co. OHG
Heinestr. 3-7
40789 Monheim am Rhein
Deutschland
Telefon: 01805 345 2255 (0,14 Euro pro angefangene Minute aus den deutschen Festnetzen; höchstens 0,42 Euro pro angefangene Minute aus den deutschen Mobilfunknetzen)
Telefax: 01803 34 00 66 (9 ct. je angef. 60 Sek. aus den deutschen Festnetzen ggf. abweichende Mobilfunktarife)
bcbmgfcsc@deutschepost.de
www.dhl.de "

Customer Service is TOP PRIORITY at DHL - so the following says

2010-10-03T12:29:00.002+02:00

Customer Service will be comparative and unique selling point for companies in the future.

In the case described that didn't apply.

What is DHL up to by acting with ignorance on own process shortcomings?

What will be DHL next positive move to use that experience in a positive way
to improve their internal processes?

I am still open to cooperate, as I see vast chances to improve effectiveness and profitability
of the once monopolist in post service around Germany.

Customer Service - Hidden, but where?

2010-10-02T00:42:00.000+02:00

DHL gives (supposedly) perfect customer service, so it says in a publically available paper.

How do you call it when your own experience is about the worst what has
ever happened in 45 years in respect of customer service?

Ripp-Off? Fail? Lie? Fake?

DHL Story is spreading

2010-09-26T19:25:00.001+02:00

Got a Twitter message by Groubal Petitions today and this resulted in writing the DHL story now also in English (in form of a Short Story ;-))

We got to receive a bunch of large posters for the http://coworkingweek.de (13.-19.09.2010) a week before the event. Checking with the sender and getting the tracking number, I figured out that the package was delivered Thursday before the event.

However I couldn't find the neigbour that was indicated on tracking issue. So called back the sender, he told me that DHL resent the package. So I told him my personal office address.

A slight misspelling and a missing bell sign with my name (however the letter box has my name on it for about 9 months and DHL has already delivered packages there) led to second resending to sender.

This happened already during the CoWorkingWeek. On 16th I wrote an email on the DHL website (to their customer service account). I didn't use the phone because this service does cost money in Germany (especially expensive from mobile, as in my case).

Didn't hear any feedback (even though a public research on the web of a Customer Service Institute says DHL excellent customer service would deliver feedback within 12 hours in most cases) by DHL. I checked whether they have a Twitter account. Posted to (http://twitter.com/RalfLippold/status/25197999449).

In the end I phoned on 22nd of Septermber (the CoWorkingWeek is already over and sender wishes to get money even though the package never has been delivered via Skype (the cheapest way to communicate), learned about a letter that had been put into mail by DHL.

Two more days I got the letter at my office address. My friends told me that they had talked to the postman of DHL who had got a smack on head by his superiors due to not delivering the package (actually he realized his fault, as relevant is the address on the postbox not the bell).

On Saturday, 25th of September, the SURPRISE itself happened:

9 AM a phone call from an unknown number on my mobile
9:04 AM an email stating that everything on DHL side would have been correct and they could not take responsibility.

So what's next? Seems to be that officials are hiding behind the walls and using social media is a farce (because it takes even longer for communication than phone)

... Service sieht anders aus

2010-09-25T23:30:00.003+02:00

Part III

24.09.2010

Besuch bei meinen Bürokollegen auf der Louisenstraße 61, ich erfahre, dass die Kollegin bereits einen Brief von DHL (der angekündigte vom 22.09.2010, wir erinnern uns) für mich zur Abholung hat. Außerdem erfahre ich, dass der Briefträger - der übrigens regelmäßig Pakete bringt - ihr von seinem Lapsus und dem "Anschiss" bzgl. des zurückgegangenen Pakets berichtet hat. Er hatte lediglich auf das Klingelschild geachtet, wo der Name Lippold nicht angebracht war (auf dem Briefkasten, jedoch ist mein Name angebracht (!))

Tenor des Briefes von DHL, datiert vom 21.09.2010, Betreff Ihre Beschwerde vom 16.09.2010

"Für die Unannehmlichkeiten, die Ihnen durch eine Dienstleistung unseres Unternehmens entstanden sind, möchten wir uns bei Ihnen entschuldigen. Die Geschäftsführung hat uns gebeten, Ihren Sachverhalt zu prüfen. Nach Abschluss unserer Recherchen werden wir Sie umgehend informieren.

Hierzu bitten wir um etwas Geduld! ..."

... sieht so der Kundenservice in Zeiten exponentieller Beschleunigung und Web 2.0 aus?

Seit 16.09.2010 warte ich auf eine kompetente und klare Auskunft wie es zu dem Fall kommen konnte.

Welche internen Prozesse haben einen funktionierenden Kundenservice (bei dem der Kunde zufrieden ist) bisher verhindert?

.... manchmal kommt es doch anders als man denkt!

2010-09-25T11:46:00.000+02:00

Wir erinnern uns: 13.-19.09.2010 gab es die deutschlandweite CoWorkingWeek, Plakate waren eine Woche vorher an Dutzende von CoWorking Spaces versendet worden, so auch nach Dresden (wo sie jedoch nie ankamen!)

Part II

... wir schreiben den 22.09.2010 21:00 Uhr

Auch nach einer heutigen Nachricht via Twitter an DHL noch kein Feedback erhalten

Landen denn solche Anfragen von Geschäftskunden stets im Nichts? Irgendwo in der sibirischen Steppe oder dem Pazifik?

Laut einer Studie zu Kundenzufriedenheit steht DHL ganz vorne. Nur möglicherweise nicht in Deutschland, oder etwa doch? Ich lasse mich gerne vom Gegenteil überzeugen, doch gestaltet sich dies recht schwierig, wenn niemand auf den neuen Kommunikationskanälen erreichbar ist ;-(

Mehr Details zum Vorgang für die Neugierigen sind hier zu finden.

So und nun erst mal die 018-5-xxx Nummer vom deutschen DHL-Service anrufen (Warum die US-amerikanischen und kanadischen Servicenummern 0-800-xxx sind - und das bei den meisten Unternehmen seit über 20 Jahren? Verwunderung!)

Gespannt, was es zu berichten gibt.

21:18 Uhr, 22.09.2010

Einwahl über Skype, denn dann ist die 0180-5 - Nummer fast umsonst (vom Handy unkalkulierbar - warum gibt es da eigentlich keine Online-Transparenz in Echtzeit?) - Es kommt die Ankündigung einer Kundenbefragung nach dem Gespräch, man möge bitte nicht auflegen, hm, da freu' ich mich schon drauf

120 sec (!) in der automatischen Ansageschleife - Push-Service (Möchte der Kunde dies?)- wann kommt sie nun die "echte" Stimme

21:20 Uhr es ist soweit, Frau L..., meldet sich; ich schildere in Kürze den Fall

... auf meine Frage, ob sie Internet zur Verfügung hätte, ein klares NEIN (hm, und das in Zeiten des Internet und der schnellen Kommunikation?!)

Ich schildere ihr also die Hintergründe (die im Groben auch bereits hier stehen), und während ich den Fall beschreibe, wir die Tracking-Nr. abgleichen, sagt sie, "Ah, ich sehe gerade da liegt eine Information vor, dass Ihr Fall heute am 22.09.2010, bearbeitet wurde". - Ich bin wirklich überrascht, wie lange dies dauern konnte? -

Am Ende kam heraus, dass ich morgen früh ab 8 Uhr von den Kollegen aus Hamburg vom Support angerufen werde (dass ich noch eine Email möchte mit den Informationen war ein Sonderwunsch).

... und dann gab es zum krönenden Abschluss noch eine Kundenserviceumfrage, die mich fast von der Couch fallen ließ; eine Frage "Sind Sie mit Ihrem Namen angesprochen worden?" ;-))

Fazit:

(DHL-)Callcenter ist lediglich Datensammler (dies scheint nicht nur bei DHL so zu sein), keine Interaktion und weitere Klärung mit Kunden möglich (keine "Mitmach-Kommunikation"
Callcenter-Agenten haben keinen Internetzugang (zumindest in diesem Fall)
Wenn der Callcenter-Agent nicht weiter weiß (oder darf), dann kann nur der Vorgesetzte helfen
Service in Deutschland kostet stets Geld (in den USA gibt es eine kostenfreie 001-800-Nummer :-))
zwischen den beiden obigen Tracking-Nr. des gleichen Pakets gibt es keine Verbindung (also lassen sich demnach zusammenhängende Prozessschwachstellen nicht feststellen)

Um das Ganze abzurunden und zu verifizieren, erlaubte ich mir direkt im Anschluss einen Anruf auf der kostenfreien DHL-US Servicenummer. Das Einwählen und die Begrüßung ließ mich sofort heimisch fühlen - es ist doch immer wieder schön amerikanischen Kundenservice zu genießen (warum das immer noch nicht in Deutschland angekommen ist? Noch vor Jahren sprach man von der "Servicewüste Deutschland" - geändert hat sich in vielen Teilen nicht viel bis gar nichts).

Nach einem wunderbaren Plausch und dem Recherchieren, was Kundenservice für die amerikanischen Kollegen bedeutet beschrieb mir ausgiebig Sandra, die in einem Callcenter in Idaoh ihren Dienst tut.

kostenfreie Servicenummer 001-800-xxx
Internetzugang am Platz
kein Tracking Non-US Pakete möglich (nun gut, das ließe sich noch verstehen)

All in all, an not so surprising experience and a clarification that American level of service towards customer is still decades ahead from German customer service in general (an specifically in this given case).

Let's be surprised what the further actions tomorrow will be

22:42 Uhr, 22.09.2010 ... und nun zu Bett

THIS is the Route to Return - SORRY, we don't deliver (not even service)!

2010-09-21T20:34:00.004+02:00

Es ist Dienstag, 21.09.2010, 20:34 Uhr und ich warte noch immer auf Feedback von http://DHL.de/ Serviceanfrage (vom 16.09.2010 16:26:33 MESZ).

Inzwischen schreiben wir den 20.09.2010, 19:35 MESZ - über 96 Stunden später. [und schon wieder ein Tag älter!]

KEINE REAKTION - ist der Prozess komplett gebrochen oder outgesourct?!

Oh, es ging um eine umfangreichere Paketsendung, die zunächst (lt. Tracking) ausgeliefert worden ist, dann jedoch beim Versender wieder eintraf. Erneute Versendung nach Dresden (wohl noch immer das Tal das Ahnungslosen, ich kann es nicht fassen, und das fast 20 Jahre nach der Wiedervereinigung #fail) ging erneut zurück.

Der Fehlerteufel hatte sich eingeschlichen:

Luisenstraße 61 anstatt (korrekt) Louisenstraße 61
01099 Dresden

Tracking-Nr.:554458027550

(ursprünglich ging das Paket mal an Constance Wolter, c/o CoOrpheum, Kamenzer Straße 19, 01099 Dresden, Tracking-Nr.: 554458027645; auch dort ging es zurück, obwohl es sogar zu einer Auslieferung an Romann gekommen sein musste (!))

In Zeiten immer besserer Vernetzung (Internet of Things) eigentlich ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit, oder sind alle Mitarbeiter bei DHL bis zum Umfallen voll mit Arbeit?

Ob die Kollegen sich helfen lassen, diesen Prozess zu optimieren? Welche Wege eröffnen sich daneben noch?

http://www.DHL.de/

www.DHL.de

Quelle: FaceBook

Ticketnachfrage - muss das sein?

2010-07-20T12:27:00.001+02:00

Vor einer Woche gab ich bei O2, meinem neuen Provider (übrigens als Businesskunde bin ich dort angemeldet) ein Ticket auf. Grund: unregelmäßige Gesprächsunterbrechungen auf Seiten des Gesprächspartners (ich wurde nicht mehr gehört, Leitung so gut wie tot).

Das Problem hat sich seit einer Woche nicht zum Besseren verändert.

Also frage ich nach, wie nun der aktuelle Stand sei. Ich werde gebeten ein paar Minuten in der Leitung zu bleiben. Dann erfolgt einige Minuten später die Information, dass die Techniker daran arbeiten. Noch nicht der Fehler gefunden sei.

Ist das Kundenservice, dass der Kunde anruft, um den gegenwärtigen Status zu erfahren? Wieviel € zahlt O2 für die entgegangene Zeit - vorhin ca. 30 min? Wieviele Kunden betrifft das gleiche Problem (von einem Freund aus Vechta habe ich bereits erfahren)?

Was wäre, wenn der Ticketstatus online verfügbar wäre? Der Kunde diesen kommentieren kann? Support nicht via Telefon sondern via Skype bzw. Chat?

Wieviel mehr zufriedene Kunden gäbe es, die Werbung für das Unternehmen machen. Mehr Umsatz generieren und den Ertrag erhöhen? Weniger Aufwand seitens O2 Kundenservice-Center Mitarbeiter, den unzufriedenen Kunden wieder "ins Boot zu holen"?

Fragen über Fragen - bleibt es dabei, oder ist sich bereits etwas am ändern?

PS.: Meine Frage nach dem Verantwortlichen für Geschäftsprozessoptimierung konnte vom Supportmitarbeiter gestern nicht beantwortet werden. Sicher, nicht alles kann man wissen. Man kann sich jedoch über alles informieren und kundig machen.

Hitze reinigt - auch Prozesse ;-)

2010-07-14T08:32:00.001+02:00

Am Wochenende erst war es, Temperaturen über 30°C, ausgefallene Klimaanlage im ICE und es ist kein Spaß: Wagentemperaturen klettern auf ganz andere Werte.

Und es sitzen Menschen in diesen Waggons der Deutschen Bahn AG!

Was machen Menschen? Sie sind geduldig. Halten etwas aus (das haben wir gelernt, schon in der Schule und im Job, auch wenn es uns schlecht geht warten wir lange, bis wir wirklich zugeben, dass es so ist und sprechen die Dinge an). Warten, dass es jemand anders macht.

Das Ganze erinnert mich an eine Fahrt von München nach Dresden vor einigen Jahren mit einem ICE. Während der Fahrt fielen mir laute Geräusche des Fahrgestells auf über dem ich saß. Ich fand, dass irgendetwas nicht stimmte. Überlegte bei mir schon, "Ist es recht, die Notbremse zu ziehen?". Immerhin bei Tempo 200 und Radprobleme, das gab es schon einmal mit katastrophalen Folgen. ICE Conrad Wilhelm Röntgen und Eschede! Es geschah an meinem ersten Arbeitstag in Frankfurt bei Kombiverkehr (und wir erhielten alle Infos aus erster Hand von der Transportzentrale der Deutschen Bahn AG, denn auch unsere Kombizüge waren betroffen von den Auswirkungen).

Was machte ich? Ich fragte mein Gegenüber, ob ihm was auffiele. Er meinte, "Ja, es sei etwa sehr laut und ein komisches Geräusch. Wird schon in Ordnung sein." Das war mir zu wenig, denn es wurde eher lauter als leiser.

So rief ich den Zugbegleiter. Dieser zögerte. Als ich ihn fragte, ob er das Geräusch in Ordnung fände, überlegte er nicht lange ließ den Zug im nächsten Bahnhof stoppen, untersuchen (es wurde ad hoc nichts gefunden), und ließ den Zug mit verminderter Geschwindigkeit (unter 100 km/h) weiter gen Berlin über den Thüringer Wald fahren.

Was hatte ich bloß gemacht? Es war der letzte ICE an diesem Tag auf der Strecke und viele der Reisenden würden Anschlüsse verlieren und genervt an ihren Zielen ankommen.

Was es wert, meine Stimme erhoben zu haben? Was wäre geschehen, wenn doch das Fahrgestell während der Normalfahrt herausgesprungen wäre, eine Achse gebrochen wäre? Nicht auszudenken.

... was hat die Reisenden (und es waren mit Sicherheit nicht nur Kinder in den überhitzten Waggons) bewogen still zu halten und bis zum bitteren Ende zu warten? Ist es ein deutsches Phänomen, dass das (kommende) Unheil nicht ernstgenommen wird. Die Stimme versagt bis es zu spät ist?

Der Deutschen Bahn AG und dem Personal die Schuld an der Misere zu geben ist zu einfach und zu schlicht. Der Prozess, der dazu geführt hat ist vielschichtiger als in der Presse dargestellt.

Was hätte ein gestandener Manager oder Student in der brenzligen Situation der ständig steigenden Temperaturen machen können?

- Notbremse ziehen (nun ein wenig heftig, ohne Vorankündigung)
- 112 anrufen
- Zugbegleiter informieren
- Info über den aktuellen Zustand über Twitter, Facebook verbreiten
- gemeinsam mit anderen Fahrgästen etwas machen

Warum ist dies nicht geschehen? Wer hat alles gekuscht? Ist es Programm, dass die Bahn wieder in die Schusslinie geraten ist? Welche Leute außer den Schülern waren noch in den besagten Waggons und warum haben sie ihre Stimme nicht erhoben?

Das Muster des Nichtsagens ist nicht neu. Man kann es immer wieder bei in finanzielle Schwierigkeiten kommenden Unternehmen beobachten (Karstadt AG, Qimonda AG, Porzellanmanufaktur Meissen, etc.). Es wird solange nicht darüber gesprochen und nach gemeinsamen Lösungen gesucht bis die eine erhoffte Lösung auch den Bach hinuntergegangen ist. Dann wundert sich jeder und versteht nicht, wie es zu dem plötzlichen Zusammenbruch kommen konnte.

Zivilcourage und das Ansprechen von Problemen (öffentlich) hätte das Dilemma am vergangenen Samstag nicht in der beobachteten Weise eskalieren lassen. Systemische Zusammenhänge offenzulegen und darzustellen wird die Herausforderung der kommenden Tage sein. Denn dieses Ereignis ist nur eines von vielen Symptomen, die sich aus den systemischen Unzulänglichkeiten des lebenden Organisationsystems Bahn ergeben. Und so manche Ursache liegt gar nicht direkt bei der Deutschen Bahn AG.

War wäre wenn sich künftig System Dynamics und systemisches Denken zu nachhaltigen kundenorientierten Leistungsangeboten der Deutschen Bahn AG mausert und zum Beratungsstandard wird?

Customer Experience - that could be nicer ;-)

2010-04-04T18:18:00.000+02:00

TaraHunt with recent flight experience with AirNewZealand.

Always a hazzle, when hierarchy is not helping to solve customer

problems - as small as they may seem.

What is the purpose of an airline? Holding their customers back or

letting them fly in the best remembered way?

Neuer Laptop nach 7 Jahren und ist alles besser?

2010-03-07T21:15:00.006+01:00

Hallo liebe Computerhersteller,

nach ca. 7 Jahren mit meinem alten ACER Travelmate 290 wollte ich mir mal einen neuen Computer kaufen (ist ja heutzutage das wichtigste Werkzeug zur kreativen Arbeit), ich dachte der Fortschritt in so einem langen Zeitraum müsste enorm sein! Aber weit gefehlt, es gibt in einigen Dingen sogar Rückschritte wie ich leider feststellen musste!

Zunächst hatte ich mir den neuen Lenovo Edge gekauft, ein kleines mobiles 13" Gerät - aber mobil ist er nicht wirklich, da hier die Akkulaufzeit weit unter 4 Stunden liegt. Auch der Lüfter lief nahezu permanent auf Hochtouren, trotz nur kleiner Anwendungen die er zu bearbeiten hatte (Internet, E-Mail). Auch gab es immer wieder Probleme mit der vom Anwender mit installierten Software, die teilweise mit den Windows eigenen Einstellungen konkurrierte und somit alles durcheinander brachte (vor allem beim Wechsel zwischen der UMTS-Verbindung über die SIM-Karte und dem WLAN). Ein Problem, dass ich auch schon von anderen Nutzern, sogar des Spitzenmodels von Lenovo, gehört habe. Das Gerät wanderte so nach wenigen Tagen zurück zu Cyberport (die es ohne Probleme zurückgenommen hatten - super Service!). Ich legte noch ein paar Euro drauf und holte mir nun den ACER Aspire 4810TG, der in der Computerpresse viel gelobt wird, gerade weil er mit Akkulaufzeiten von über 8 Stunden glänzen soll(te)!!!

Wieder weit gefehlt! Das Gerät stand erst mal eine Woche in der Ecke, da es nicht möglich war die wahllos vorpartitionierte Festplatte mit 4 Partitionen zu ändern! Der Versuch das zu ändern kostete mich schon einen Tag (wer bezahlt mich dafür?). Die ACER-Hotline hätte über das Handy dann 2,99 Euro gekostet, Festnetz ging nicht, da hier die 0900-Nummern gesperrt sind. Somit schrieb ich eine E-Mail und es kam der Hinweis, innerhalb von 1-2 Tagen eine Antwort zu bekommen. Die Antwort, die aus einem Satz bestand, kam dann auch nach über einer Woche: Ich sollte mir eine Partitionssoftware kaufen und damit die Partitionen ändern... Es kam mir aber zwischendurch eine andere Idee zur Problemlösung, es würde vielleicht helfen, Windows neu zu installieren, denn beim Installationsprozess konnte man früher immer den Zielort für Windows angeben und die Festplatte neu partitionieren. ABER mit der ACER-OEM-Software (selbst erstellte Recovery-CD) ging das auch nicht!!! Welch Glück, hatte ich nun einen Microsoft-Mitarbeiter an der Hand, der mir mit einer separaten Windows-CD weiterhelfen konnte. Hier ging dann die Installation und Änderung der Partitionen reibungslos!!!

Warum verbietet Microsoft nicht solche Späße der Computerhersteller, die mit eigenen schlecht veränderten OEM-Versionen das ganze einigermaßen gelungene Windows 7 verkomplizieren und dermaßen mit eigenen schlechten Anwendungen bevormunden?
Zudem lief das neue ACER-Notebook auch nicht länger als das ThinkPad von Lenovo, von der beworbenen 8+ Stunden Laufzeit war nichts zu merken! Der Lüfter läuft ständig (nervt wenigstens nicht durch permanentes an- und ausgehen) und heizt zusätzlich das Zimmer. Die Laufzeit betrug ca. 4 Stunden... Weiterhin verfügt das ACER-Notebook über zwei Grafikchipsätze (eine separate ATI-Karte und einen Intel-Chipsatz), eigentlich sollte man zwischen beiden Karten switchen können, aber auch das geht nicht! Zumindest lässt sich auf der ACER-Supportseite keine Software/kein Treiber dafür downloaden.

Was nun, auch dieses Notebook zurückgeben, es endlich mal mit einem APPLE probieren??? Ich habe gerade keine Lust mehr und mir würde weiterhin mein 7 Jahre alter Laptop, bei dem der Lüfter so gut wie nie zu hören ist genügen, auch hier beträgt die Akkulaufzeit mit dem Erstakku noch nahezu 4 Stunden! Leider ist er nur bei WLAN etwas langsam (b-Standard) und er hat kein eingebautes UMTS-Modem, okay, auch der Bildschirm ist im Vergleich zu den neueren LED-Teilen nicht so toll. Hier ist also doch ein Fortschritt nach 7 Jahren Weiterentwicklung. Aber ein langsameres, sauber verarbeitetes Notebook (Nachhaltigkeit) wäre mir tausend mal lieber als eines, das mit zig Highspeed-Features glänzt - weniger wäre auch hier mehr.

Lösungsvorschlag: Wie wäre es, wenn die Computerhersteller für solche Fälle besser mit dem Nutzer zusammenarbeiten und auf Kritik wirklich reagieren würden? Auch könnten hier viele neue Arbeitsplätze entstehen, wenn große Computerkonzerne in jeder Stadt (ab etwa 100.000 Einwohnern) einen Service-Punkt einrichten würden! Die Kundenzufriedenheit würde doch rapide anwachsen und die Hersteller könnten einen Wahnsinns Input an neuen Lösungsvorschlägen nutzen! Also bitte mehr CoWorking in den Unternehmen und zwischen Herstellern und Nutzern.

Big Dreams Start Small - What has been your BIG DREAM?

2010-02-23T14:32:00.000+01:00

"Most big dreams originate in someone s living room with a small group of people, regardless of where they come from or how they are dressed."

Jacqueline Novogratz

..... eine unendliche Geschichte, ..

2010-02-17T15:30:00.000+01:00

.... in der es bislang nicht wirklich einen Kunden gibt (zumindest fühlte ich mich nicht als solcher).

07.02.2010 gegen 17:00 Uhr: Internet via WLAN irgendwie verdammt langsam; was'n los? Blick auf den Router: KEINE GRÜNE Lampe bei WLAN/DSL:-(

07.02.2010 17:00 Uhr Anruf bei 0800-330 1000 (immerhin kostet diese Nummer nix für den "Kunden"), ich werde aufgefordert, meinen Anschluss anzusagen bzw. per Tastatur einzugeben, nach einigen Minuten in der Warteschleife gelange ich an einen Kollegen. Der will komischerweise nochmals meine Nummer erfahren. "Komisch, habe ich die eben nicht schon angegeben?", denke ich mir. Ich schilderte kurz mein Anliegen und bevor ich noch seinen Namen und Standort (irgendwo in Mecklenburg, soviel wollte er mir noch gerade verraten!) wurde ich direkt an die Hardware-Abteilung weitergeleitet. Wo in der Republik ist mir weiterhin ein Rätsel.

07.02.2010 ca. 17:20 Uhr Kollege, Herr Albert aus dem Callcenter in Görlitz, an der Hardware-Hotline stellt fest, dass keine Syncronität der DSL-Leitung besteht. Er macht nach einem erfolglosen Versuch (Ursache auch für ihn nicht nachvollziehbar) in seinem System ein Ticket auf, damit mir ein neuer Router zugesendet wird. Der sollte spätestens Dienstag bei uns eintreffen.

Wir unterhalten uns noch kurz über das Callcenter Görlitz, und dass Freunde da momentan mit der Gestaltung der Räumlichkeiten beschäftigt sind, um künftig noch besseren Service zu bieten. CoWorking in Görlitz ist auch ein Thema, Herr Albert ist neugierig und aufgeschlossen.

Mich beschleicht der Gedanke, wie wohl die Telekom künftig Profite einfährt, wenn Callcenter und Coworking Spaces kreativ zusammenarbeiten und eine wikibasierte Wissensbörse, und über ein geschlossenes Microblogging Wissen vom Kunden hin zum Anbieter und zurück fließen kann?!

07.02.2010 der Sonntag geht zu Ende und ich bin guter Hoffnung

.... Fortsetzung folgt in Kürze;-)

Customer on the train - an alien or money bringer?

2009-03-26T11:42:00.005+01:00

Graham Hill (Twitter), a former Toyota executive and now independend consultant has written about a disturbing experience of a friend with the German Railway (Deutsche Bahn AG). The story is not that unfamiliar and we all know of even harsher stories where kids where thrown out of the train some kilometers from their final destination for not having the right ticket (even other passengers were not allowed to pay for them).

Strange behavior and yet just a negative symptom of a system that is not focusing on its sales base (the CUSTOMER) rather the cost savings and getting money in the first place.

What are the possible structures that make such behavior of conductors happen in real life?

Pressure to stick to the rules (otherwise layed-off -especially in areas with high unemployment a rather big threat)

We have done it in the past, will continue to do in the future

The plan of going public urges railway people to get customers to pay

Too many different laws, rules (especially where different bodies of operations, that the German Railways operate for exist, such as in the Ruhrgebiet, Rhein-Main Area)

.....how could that present reality be changed towards a more customer orientated behavior that would also have mid-/long-term benefit for the German Railways as well?

Best

Ralf

PS.: Due to present changing of responsibilities and people around the German Railways, even if you try to make some ideas present to the management - nobody knows who is the RIGHT person and if you get the right person, this one is notoriously overworked (MURI, as we Lean Thinkers say) and you don't get a positive answer as well.

...couldn't there be a positive change? It would be quite easy, as customers' voices would be heard by management:-))

Innovative Wege aus der Krise?

2009-03-13T08:31:00.004+01:00

Alright here comes a dream:

Im August 2008, bot sich mir überraschend die Möglichkeit Team Academy in Finnland zu besuchen. Dort herrschte 1993 eine ähnliche Krisenstimmung (nur eher lokal auf Finnland begrenzt) und Johannes Partanen, Professor für Marketing an der Jyväskylä Politech (FH) dachte, "Da muss sich was ändern!". Hängte einen Zettel am Schwarzen Brett für Veranstaltungen aus mit dem Text "Do you want to travel around the world and learn a bit of marketing on the way?"

Das war der Beginn für einen der erfolgreichsten neuen und ganz anderen Wege, um Arbeitslosigkeit zu bekämpfen bzw. zu reduzieren.

Da ich zum damaligen Zeitpunkt arbeitslos war nutzte ich die Chance, lernte mehr darüber und versuchte das Konzept dem betreuenden Arbeitsamt zu vermitteln.

Nicht ganz so einfach, denn noch ist die Struktur der Arbeitslosenunterstützung in Form von Weiterbildung in einer etablierten Struktur von Bildungsträgern und Bildungsinstituten verankert. Diese Flottte liegt im sicheren Hafen und fährt zu den bekannten Zielen aus - Team Academy ist das ein recht unbekanntes Terrain.

Nun begann im Spätherbst die Krise heraufzuziehen und ich sah im Dezember (als ich mich dann letztendlich selbständig machte) die Chance das Thema der Geschäftsleitung des Arbeitsamts Leipzigs zu vermitteln.

So kam es, dass ich mich hinsetzte und Kontakt mit der Geschäftsführung der Arbeitsagentur Leipzig aufnahm .....

....nicht lange, denn bereits am nächsten Tag erhielt ich eine persönliche, freundliche -wenn auch bestimmte- Ablehnung meines Vorschlags von der Geschäftsführung.

Was ist mein Angebot, das so irritiert hat und fremd klang, dass es nicht einmal zu einem Gespräch -bisher- kam?

Team Lea(r)ning Experience ist eine neue Form von Team Academy, die in Dresden etabliert werden wird, um in einer "Consulting-Denkfabrik" in Dresden Interessierte und Lernen-Wollende zusammenbringt, um Unternehmen zu ermöglichen in Sachsen künftig erfolgreich zu wirtschaften (mit steigenden Erträgen) und darüber hinaus z.B. Arbeitslosen und Kurzarbeitern die Möglichkeit bietet an konkreten Projekten mit Unternehmen für sich zu lernen, wie sich die Toyota Way Prinzipien auch in Sachsen erfolgreich umsetzen lassen.

Wie geht es weiter?

Vom 22.-24. April 2009 wird es in Leipzig einen 3-tägigen Workshop geben, bei dem dieses Konzept vorgestellt und am praktischen Beispiel umgesetzt wird.

Anmeldung über:

Ralf Lippold

ChancenWandler(hoch)n

Mail team@teamlearningexperience.org

Mobil 0163-351 351 0

Fax 032-12-351 351 0

Beste Grüße

Ralf Lippold

Customer Service - can it be delivered in public service?

2008-12-30T12:05:00.007+01:00

Sure can:-))

In Germany, probably like in most other countries, one is obliged to register at the place of living.

So normally that is just a thing you HAVE to do. The agents in the city council office treat you as you would be just a mere "case" for them. More work on the desk.

Not so in Dresden, where I had my most enjoyable memories getting my passport some 12 years ago during the carneval time and it was a whole lot of laughter and joy over there.

Yesterday I was heading towards the same place to register and make myself a "Citizen of Dresden". As it is the time between Xmas and New Year's Eve I wondered whether the place would be open and phoned the general city information. Got through (in Leipzig that line was either taken or you waited for ages, by the way I lived in Leipzig for the last four years, not feeling like a "Leipziger".

Alright I got off the tram in front of the town hall (all the Dresden suburbs used to independant cities and therefor had their own town hall from the late 19th century). All lights shut off in the building - almost;-) I wondered ("Didn't they tell you there would be service until 6 PM? Now it is 5 PM. Almost all dark. Strange."), stepped up the staircase and -surprise- the main door was open.

So I went in, looked around and found my way to the ticket machine (to make the queuing easier). Pulled my number, and expected to wait (saw dozens of people in Leipzig earlier that day when I was over there). No way, a few seconds later I was invited to next free service agent and waived in.

..and off we went, quickly she got the data into the computer, checked name and signed the piece a paper (on a WACOM tablet - so the electronic signatur is right in the computer, without copying and scanning the paper - great lean stuff:-)). We had a nice short chat and told her about my previous visit and how much I enjoyed it.

Five minutes later I was out of the office again and thought:

"Whow. that was customer service I would like to see not only in a city council but also at companies who have paying customers, like car manufacturers, railway companies and any other business type company"

A great example how easily the customer can be appreciated and takes his experience into the world (sure will post the City of Dresden about that story:-)).

Best regards and let's see where there are other fine examples around the world. Feel free to comment and write your story.

Ralf

Memorable Rail Journey - anything changed?

2008-12-22T22:20:00.002+01:00

Dear readers of that customer orientated blog,

Have you ever felt the emptiness of your words when talking to a service employee at -any- railway corporation? You feel like a piece of luggage and nobody -from the official body- is appreciating that you are actually paying their monthy salary. I guess I am not the only one around with such memories (and to be honest as I travel quite a lot on the railway tracks, due to my green attitude;-), I happen so see regularly events that are not driving potential customers into the trains but rather drive them out in their car-pooling, using their own car, or just abandon the railways (and talking bad mouth about their experience:-().

It doesn't have to be that way:-))

The only thing it needs is the willingness and courage to see things, talk about them in open public (why not publish in the papers?) and make officials aware that the CUSTOMER is an asset!

Thalys Journey says more on what happened during an almost 10-hour-trainride (could have gone to Boston in the same time almost - not quite as the qeues at the airport in Boston could take another two hours:-().

Toyota, the world leader in corporate learning and empowering people to their strengths, sees in problems always to become better in the future. Am I wrong when I have a different feeling concerning the service problems at railways around the world? Especially the ones in Europe that are talking like they would be THE FIRST customer orientated corporations in the country don't play to REAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.

What was good?

Concerning that specific journey the connections between trains (in Frankfurt/Main and Cologne) was about the only thing that was good. Besides that I had to chance to have some rest and could read an interesting book (wouldn't have had the chance in a car;-()

What was bad?

Mis- and Non-Communication was the main driver to dissatisfaction and constant negative rememberance about the journey that started so well.

What have I learned?

Hm, difficult to say. Seems to be that every such event is like closed silo of information (nothing is leaking into the bigger organization and so nothing is changed, as far as customers can sense - you would surely run into similar difficulties again in the future. It is like my former boss always, "We have tackled the problem now, why find out what has been the root cause? Everything is fine now!")

Taking the initiative writing proposal letters to the railway officials seems useless and yet I can tell from own experience after some none-reaction efforts and letters you get to the RIGHT PERSON somewhere in the corporation dschungle:-) And things can change, if the pressure is really too hard and you are not the only one who is making noise.

Getting papers involved in the issue is quite useful as an event showed during the flooding in Dresden in 2002. In official press bulletin of the German Railway it was that helpers who would help in the aftermath in Dresden would be transported free of charge by German Railway. Turned out -after a call to the press officer- that this offer was just valid to the Red Cross, THW, and other "official" bodies. As soon as I got -while I was in charge of the help organization- the first helper on the phone I told him the story and advised him to get in contact with either a newspaper or a radio station telling them about it.

Guess what? Only a few hours later we got a phone call by the office of the CEO asking what would be the problem about the issue. I told him and had -as we worked officially with the City Council of Dresden together- a few possible solutions to make sure that people wouldn't use the offer for free travels around the republic.

Everything worked out fine and I was surprised what is possible in terms of change and attitude towards customer needs:-))

Wonder how this could work out this time?

What is the next action out of this journey?

Interesting question and I would say, let go and see which intervention would be most useful to get the most for customers (potential, present and future) and the Thalys (by the way, German Railways, are also in need for some change towards customer orientation -but that is another story to be posted soon;-))

Please feel free to tell your stories (let me know and I will add you as contributor and writer on the blog).

Best regards and save and joyful travels around whereever you may be

Ralf

Customers voice - sometimes difficult to understand

2008-12-13T00:38:00.003+01:00

Ten minutes ago I have arrived by taxi from Leipzig Main Station. On my way I asked the driver about the model we were going in. It was a Volkswagen Sharan (pretty nice actually and solid quality so it seems).

I ask the driver, "Nice car. Anything you would like to be better or more appropriate?"

His answer, "It is o.k."

My insisting 2nd question, "Hm, there is probably something that could be better or is already perfect?"

Driver, "Could use less gas or diesel."

Me, "Anything else, as I would like to make the "perfect" car?"

Driver, "No, and this will never work! Nothing will be perfect!"

Me, "Hm, there is a company in India that is willing to design the perfect car and actually produce it in Germany. That is the reason, I am asking you as a customer."

Driver, "...."

....and the talk died:-(

Strange, how can we deliver customer value if the customer isn't willing to articulate what he really wishes? Are we doomed to produce guessing what customers really want? Do we have to get into other media to hear customer's voice?

A strange experience and I wonder how other have experienced similar things.

Best regards,

Ralf

Transparency and quick customer reply

2008-12-02T16:42:00.004+01:00

@safttante has mentioned and brought into the open, what has happened to one of their customers who had bought hot spiced wine earlier.

Walther's, a great producer of fruit juices based in Arnsdorf/Sachsen about half an hour east of Dresden sells flexible 3-l containers that don't have to be refrigerated due to the innovative clip.

Unfortunately this clip is different on the 10-l box and this one has to be finished in one gulp;-)

Real customer service orientated this "error" has been directly communicated with the customer who has complained, put on the Saftblog and -probably- is already well under way to be changed in the near future.

A great example for what LEAN THINKING is: CUSTOMER SERVICE OF ITS BEST.

Looking for more examples of that in Saxony, Germany and the World.

Memorable Journey (2/2)

2008-11-02T18:30:00.003+01:00

As promised, back on the writing deck;-)

The train is still waiting at Aachen Central Station which is -generally speaking- quite normal (for some time;-)) and then the unnormal events take place.

First of all one of the conductors is leaving the train (it is the German one), even though the passengers don't change much in number (there is not coming a second one).
A slight delay as everybody could sense and see (comparing scheduled time to actual time
Suddenly - would have been nice at night- the lights in the Thalys go out, and one has the feeling that someone is trying to restart the engine (surely not a car's one;-)); this goes on for a quarter of an hour, shutting off lights, trying to restart - no info yet:-((

Then the inevitable happens: it is announced that the train can't go on towards Paris (passing Brussels where my interview partner is going to pick me up at 14:35h, the scheduled arrival time). It was like a flooding - only this time people are flooding the railway office downstairs to check whether and how to reach the connection trains (from Brussels there is starting an Eurostar towards London via the Channel). Nobody of the staff has a clue how to handle that, no general information for these passengers - I wonder which courses the staff has undertaken to cope with such situations in general? Nothing serious really and yet something with great impact on customer satisfaction (there will be stories like mine being told after the journey is over and the memories of a bad and unpleasant railway journey will drive people again on the roads - with negative impact on climate change:-().

After about 10 minutes standing in line, translating for some English, there is a rumour heard (nothing clearly said via loudspeaker, just word-of-mouth and yet we all get it):

THE TRAIN CAN CONTINUE ITS JOURNEY TOWARDS PARIS (with some slight delay of about 80 minutes by this time;-() and -I can't believe that!- a FULL REFUND for the travel (to be refunded at a Thalys office - which is something of a constraint as we will see later)

Everybody who has not left Aachen Central Station via other means of transport is jumping back on the Thalys and off we go - a good feeling and yet I phone to Brussels to announce my late coming - my interview partner is driving into Brussels from the country side to pick me up).

The green hills of Belgium pass alongside, we enjoy the ride and think of our destinations (some of us are seeing their families in Paris, others are travelling further up to Scotland via the Eurostar connection, and I will have a job interview in Brussels, which I am really looking forward to). So we have all our day dreams and everything seems fine.

...until Liége.

Entering the Central Station I think by myself, "Good that I am heading further to Brussels, as this looks rather grey and unwelcoming!". Reality should take hold of that thought quicker than I can imagine.

It is when we are leaving the station up a rather small hill and a signal makes us stop on the tracks. Probably we have messed up the schedules of other trains by our late coming? Ok, some waiting will be necessary.

Suddenly I feel like beamed into Aachen again, as the engine is shut off, lights go of and the previously experienced procedure comes into life again.

"What is going on?"

"Didn't the conductor say in Aachen, everything would be ok? Where, by the way is he anyway? Haven't seen anybody of the personal coming along in our coach."

So, while all other passengers (around 300 I guess in 6-7 coaches) stay seated I take a walk to fulfill my natural curiousity, to find out what is really going on. Wandering through every coach everywhere the same picture, people talking and waiting for the inevitable (Do I see action? Where are the people of today who take personal responsibility of the reality they are in? Anybody thinking the same as me, finding out about the root-causes (yeah, here my lean thinking passion comes through - especially as I am a customer, a rather small one in terms of cash I bring Thalys (merely 42 € for the distance between Aachen and Brussels) and yet a CUSTOMER that brings money in today and will in the future (eventually;-)).

Another hour waiting just a few meters from Liége Central Station and soon we hear that the train has been running with 60% of its power due to engine problems and now that small hill is being a BIG PROBLEM to overcome.

Alright, what to do? Phoning my interview partner again, as he would be still too early at Brussels Central Station waiting for nothing and wait for what will come.

Soon we travel back into Liége Central Station and new miscommunication happens, as nobody knows which train to catch (there is standing an IC on the opposite track), some people stay on the Thalys until after some more minutes the conductor is telling everybody, that THIS THALYS is going to nowhere!

What to do? Jumping on the IC? Is it the right one? Reading the schedules on the track to find out whether this is the correct one to Brussels is not easy (French, different layout where you have to know which is the destination and then you can check which trains are running in that direction).

Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!

Finally, just before moving the IC opens up the doors again (thanks to a service guy who was phoning the folks on this train) and loads of Thalys passengers flow into this IC which again is delayed with about 20-30 min to its initial departure.

A hell lot of experiences you really don't like to have yourself and yet this is the STARTING POINT to deliver better service in the future (NOT ONLY AT THALYS but everywhere in the service world).

What was good?

What was bad?

What have I learned?

What is the next action out this journey?

(four simple questions, which I have learned from my dear friends from Monkey Business)

I will answer them in a follow up and the personell (up and down the ladder) of service institutions such as railway companies shall practice these as well.

Together we can co-create a profitable and yet sustainable future of public transport and rail travels (which I really prefer pretty much:-))

Memorable Journey (1/2)

2008-10-31T21:27:00.004+01:00

Late summer 2008, a fun weekend of Ultimate Frisbee in Amsterdam is laying ahead and before that I arranged a job interview with a dear friend in Brussels. It has taken us about four months since our first -coincidental and driven by syncronicity- meeting far down at the Indian Ocean in Oman, during the 3rd SoL Global Forum to make that happen.

As I always do, being fond of public and rail transport, I take the train for such travels - much more relaxed travelling with time to sleep, read and talk. Getting the ticket for the distance from the German-Belgian border to Brussels (I own a German Railway Pass for unlimited travels) was rather time consuming and couldn't be done via internet (strange in times of globalization and web 2.0 solutions - I wondered;-(). I leave Leipzig early in the morning with an ICE (just recently the ones running between Leipzig and Frankfurt - where I was heading to catch the next connection - are not running due to problems with axles;-() with an approximate arrival time in Brussels around 2:35pm in the afternoon.

Even though we are a bit delayed on the route to Frankfurt everything works fine and the super-highspeed (compared to French TGV, that is rather slow travelling with a speed of around 300 km/h) to Cologne could be caught. Everything seems working flawlessly - like it should and probably most of time does. It is only the single events that come into the public and nobody talks about what is going like it should.

Cologne - second connection on the way - changing to the Thalys which is starting its way from Cologne to Paris via Brussels. Like the last time (it had been to a Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Brussels two years earlier) people are rushing, coaches are packed and litte space for luggage and the interior somehow looks worn (must be the heavy use of rail travellers;-)).

I enjoy the ride with the other folks on the train, which is a real multi-lingual, and multi-cultural conglomorate (English, French, Arabs, Turkish, German, you name it) and it was fun listening to all the different voices. Besides I was going to an interview, looking forward to two days of excellent Frisbee at ADAM (actually the most choice HAT Tournament I know Breakfast on Sunday is a MUST:-)).

Always curious about service and how customers are treated (everywhere I am a customer I play two roles: customer, observer (=mirror to service personal) I scan the overall situation and especially what could be made better to achieve an excetional service (which will attract future -presently potential- customers).

Due to the multi-lingual passengers the announcements have been in three languages (French, German, English) and there have two (?) conductors on board of the Thalys (German, French).

I am reading my books and let the landscape pass and then we arrive in Aachen - the border town before we move into Belgium. As the non rail traveller must know the electricity system changes from German Railway to Belgium Railway (the Thalys is multi-system capable which makes a great positive impact on the travelling time as locomotion changes are not necessary).

That shall be the first part of the story which will continue in part 2 following over the weekend and Aachen is where the troubles started (which eventually made it an unforgettable journey).

See you

Ralf

Coffee - it can make a real difference

2008-10-29T10:26:00.002+01:00

Have you challenged the café of your choice asking for permission eating some cake bought elsewhere and enjoying their coffee?

What would be the answer in most cases (if we would ask;-))?

"No, sorry that is not allowed. My boss could come back and I have no power to allow that."

What would be the harm for their business? There must be some hidden assumptions, as I can't see any bad impact (especially if it is a café focusing mainly on the coffee and not so much on the muffins, cakes, and such).

Meeting with a friend -coming back from a business trip- at Leipzig Central Station she bought some special cake ("Baumkuchen") at a bakery and then we looked for a nice place to have a coffee, a chat and eating the cake in the meanwhile. First choice on our search reacted like the one just mentioned:-(

Then couraged by this we asked at another one, The Coffee Culture (just opposite track 17), and guess what happened?

"Yes, sure. We don't mind on the contrary, you are very welcome. Come on in:-)"

So we did, enjoyed two hours talk, great coffee and atmosphere and one or the other great idea for the future (besides writing this short lines).

Small things will surely stick in your head and you talk about, tell others and so generate indirectly new customers for the place that has hosted you so generously.

Cheers,

Ralf

Welcome to the Mac Family

2008-09-27T12:51:00.003+02:00

And that is what they said to me. I didn't just buy a computer, I was invited into a community. From the minute I walked through the door, I could see that this was going to be a very different experience to all the other computer buying expeditions that I have been on.

I walked through the doors armed with all my "research" tucked under my arm, looking like I meant business. But I wasn't attacked by sales staff, just welcomed with smiles and greetings. They left me alone with their stuff, they didn't hassle me and they didn't try to intimidate me with their infinite technical knowledge. The store and customer service delivery was designed as if they wanted me to stay and play.

Now I'm not going to do the Mac Vs PC thing in this blog, it's Apple's customer service style that I want to draw attention to. The key winning features are:

1. Making the customer feel welcomed, not like a potential thief
2. Assume that the customer already knows what they want
3. Well trained staff that love as well as understand their products
4. Stores designed to welcome customers to touch, feel and experiment with what they are about to buy (yes, humans are basically curious, sensuous, tactile creatures)
5. Understand that if the customer doesn't buy today, they will come back and buy tomorrow if the exploratory experience was positive
6. Create a sense of community and belonging; that this is not a once-off purchase, but a relationship that will go on for years.

This was the best customer service experience I have had in years. And this is not a model that is difficult to replicate. So I think to myself, all those businesses offering crappy customer services, do they really want, or deserve, to be in business at all?

Cheers
Marigo

Customers - are they relevant for CEOs?

2008-09-24T23:27:00.003+02:00

Twitter is a cool tool:-))

So I got notice of the following article at HBR:

How CEOs Should Work With Customers

...there surely is way to more success and it leads to the customer and with the customer.

Cheers,

Ralf

Customer stakeholder No. 1

2008-09-24T11:21:00.004+02:00

Two days ago, while on the web chatting with somebody via Skype, the following flew into my mailbox:

"Making the most of customer complaints

... in the new edition of Business Insight"

edited by MIT Sloan Management Review (if you don't know it yet - check it out!).

The authors of the study bring the CUSTOMER into the focus.

To quote just the first three lines (link provided further down):

"NOBODY'S PERFECT. That's a fact, not an excuse.

Which is why it is crucial for companies to realize that the way they handle customer complaints is every bit as important as trying to provide great service in the first place. Because things happen. ...."

Have you with your customer/client "hat on" been valued in the past? What was missing?

Cheers,

Ralf

PS.: The above mentioned article can be read at

http://sloanreview.mit.edu/wsj/insight/brand/2008/09/22/

HR Electronic Information - over and over again:-(

2008-09-21T13:00:00.008+02:00

Haven't you faced the same problem: applying for a new job via the web you ought to input your personal information into a HR portal!

Just imagine you have applyed for 10 such job. How much time has gone by and how much better could you have used it otherwise?

Lost time equivalent = 9 x 1 Hour x 100 €/hour/person x Persons applying online (for 10 applications you have initially put up one full completion) = 900 €/Person * Persons applying online (?)

Imagine there would be 5 Mio persons around the planet applying online in one given year. Then the lost time equivalent (LTE) would be 900 € * 5.000.000 = 4.5 Billion € per year!

Sounds a bit crazy, or? Just boil the 100 €/hour/person down to 20 €/hour/person and it still would be an LTE of 9 Billion € per year.

Enough for a business, don't you think?

Why do we have to give the information over and over again?

Shouldn't we rather see the following:

1. You provide the information once (as most employers use similar or even the same software for that)

2. Either the information is stored on your computer or a neutral clearing place from where your information can be transfered to the employers's HR programs

3. Updates possible - automatic notice to already transfered info

4. Providing a worldwide standard

What is lacking?

1. No knowledge exchange amongst providers of software, employers using it and its customers (US!)

2. Lacking trust on sharing information in the present communication ways

3. No connected software solution yet

4. Diverse single efforts around the world -perhaps!

So who is joining the new collaboration project?

Crazy ideas always start somewhere, and that is here!

Ralf

Recognizing your face:-)

2008-09-14T16:53:00.005+02:00

Yesterday, it happened at Leipzig Main Station, I was on the way with my Finish guest from Team Academy to buy a ticket from Leipzig to Berlin-Tegel.

As I am owner of a Bahncard 100 (unlimited free travelling on German Railway Network) I have the privilege to be served on a special counter. Normally you have to show your Bahncard 100 to prove that you are allowed to use this special counter.

To my surprise the lady smiled and said, "That's not necessary, I know you from past events. You have bought several special travel arrangements in the past, haven't you?"

That was the moment when I felt well treated:-)

...and so the conversation around the buying of the ticket was a real pleasure.

Service could be so easy and doesn't cost a cent extra (on the contrary it gives more €€€ for the companies if its employees treat the customers in a welcoming way).

Quite inspired by what is possible I am looking forward to a enjoyable coming week -to all of us:-)

Cheers,

Ralf

Customer service shake up

2008-09-10T11:52:00.000+02:00

The revolution in customer service is underway and this has been largely driven by the growth of social media, networking and collaboration that have been enabled by Web 2.0 technology. Yes, customers are doing it for themselves and standing up to shabby treatment and a lack of imagination in product development and service delivery. And businesses, service providers and governments are finally listening...really listening. Those that are not listening will hasten their ride to the graveyard of legacy business models.

My collaborator in this blog, Ralf, asked the question, is service valuable and accountable? Let's keep this simple and round it off to three types of service providers:

1. The Good
These are providers that love what they do and care about their customers. They continuously train their staff and maintain a high quality product and service. This can range from small operators like my favorite cafe who know my name and how I like my coffee to large operators like Amazon who knows what books I bought yesterday and what I may like tomorrow.

2. The Bad
These are providers that have established a formula that may have worked once upon a time, but have not bothered to update or improve their products and service. Where flexibility or customisation are required, customers are forced to pay a penalty or put up with a sub-optimal product or service. These providers are usually a throw back to the Henry Ford business proposition: you can have any color as long as its black...These providers choose cost efficiency over customer effectiveness.

3. The Ugly
These guys promise you the world and usher you into customer lock in. Once you're in they throw away the key. A prime example here: I have a Blackberry from Optus here in Australia on a two year contract. Earlier this year the device developed a fault and needed to be fixed. To cut a long story short, Optus had to send it to a specialist in Sydney to get fixed. It took 10 weeks and they could not offer me another device as a replacement or while I waited. I have been a customer of Optus for 15 years and I effectively run my business off my Blackberry. Did Optus care? NO! No prizes for guessing what I am going to do when the contract is finished. Hasta la vista Optus.

For my own business I work very hard to keep it in the GOOD category. It must be working as I have a happy, growing and profitable customer base.

Which business are you?

Marigo.

Is service valuable and accountable?

2008-09-10T10:16:00.000+02:00

Good morning everybody!

Isn't that happening that you feel not appreciated as a customer sometimes? Standing in a 50 m queue at a check-in counter at the airport? Waiting to be served in a Restaurant (perhaps even with a Michelin star)?

Of course it should be like:

1. Online-chat hotline at Yugma (a small and free of charge communication software tool to share your desktop with somebody on the other side of the planet to discuss a matter), where you get instant help by a real person - awesome:-))

2. Metro (a small freeware - doesn't cost a nickel- to find your way around in foreign cities, especially on buses, trams and trains), where you can send your personal improvement ideas and up-to-date data to the programmers in order to get it directly in the data

3. Danish Railway Company, where have leaflets at every seat which explain how to get out the window (in case of an -hopefully never to become true- emergency) - I felt save like on a plane. Still you can do more when you moving not 10.000 m above the earth.

....and there are numerous examples -bad and good- around the world. Let us share the stories and find out what could be done better for us -the customers- and give the companies perhaps some hints on how they could provide a better service (without spending more extra money).

See you and your stories right here;-))

Best regards

Ralf