Customer Support --They Are, We Are

Susan M. JohnsSusan M. Johns

Pittsburg State UniversityPittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KSPittsburg, KS

Our Expectations of Support

Know who we are Acknowledge and respond to

logs, problems, and concerns Address needs in a timely and

professional manner

Our Expectations of Support

Troubleshoot correctly : get it right the first time

Help us manage our systems proactively

The message sent is not necessarily the messagereceived.

You can’t NOT communicate.

-- John Gall, Systemantics

The Quality Axiom:

Doing things well usually costs less than doing them poorly.

-- Karl Albrecht

The machine itself makes nodemands and holds out nopromises; it is the human spiritthat makes demands andkeeps promises.

-- Lewis Mumford, 1934

Quality: a measure of the extent to which a thingor experience meets a need, solves a problem, oradds value for someone.

-- Karl Albrecht, 1992

Customer Feedback :On the whole, knowing is betterthan not knowing.

-- Karl Albrecht

Customer Value Model Price Confidence “Can-do” Attitude Personalized and Individualized

Treatment Error-free “Mechanics”

Customer Value Model Agent Continuity Information Support Proactive Safeguarding of the

Customer’s Interests Recovery When Things Go

Wrong

It’s supposed to do that!

-- Anonymous help-line response, 1982 - present

Support Expectations of UsSupport Expectations of Us

Know who they are Provide accurate information

and testing on logged problems Provide timely feedback in a

professional manner

Support Expectations of UsSupport Expectations of Us

Convey when we are unhappy AND when we are pleased

Clarify what we need to deliver information services to our patrons

Not everything that counts can be counted;and not everything that can be counted counts.

-- Albert Einstein

Error Message GuidelinesError Message Guidelines

Be specific and precise Be constructive: indicate what

needs to be done Use a positive tone: don’t accuse Choose user-centered phrasing

Error Message GuidelinesError Message Guidelines

Consider multiple levels of messages

Be consistent in grammar, terminology, abbreviations, visual format and

placement

Expectations of PartnershipExpectations of Partnership

Respect individual expertise, needs, time, and value to the organization as a whole

Train and assist one another relentlessly

Expectations of PartnershipExpectations of Partnership

Test and improve the product; provide a superior R&D resource

Provide quality services and automation excellence in any way possible

Three helping one anotherwill do as much assix working singly.

--Spanish Proverb

My software never has bugs;it just develops

random features.

-- Anonymous

Even error has its uses.-- Alvin Toffler, 1970

Cherish your bugs. Study them.

- - John Gall, Systemantics

Definition of an Upgrade:

Take old bugs out, put new ones in.

An omlette, promised in two minutes, may appear to be progressing nicely.But when it has not set in two minutes,the customer has two choices -- wait,or eat it raw. Software customers havehad the same choice.

-- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., 1975

What is really important in education is. . .that themind is matured, that energy is aroused.

-- Soren Kierkegaard

An individual without information cannot takeresponsibility; an individual who is giveninformation cannot helpbut take responsibility. -- Jan Carlzon

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Strengths of the Customer Base

Personal Dedication Resource Sharing Regional and Global Contact