Essentials for successful implementation of service management

Essentials for successful implementation of service management

The successful implementation of service management needs to consider the following vital areas.

1. Leadership and Commitment

The senior management should have a competent leadership to lead the retail business towards success. It should be committed with clear goals and policy on quality being set and also communicated to others. Appropriate resources should be released to create changes and achieve the required results.

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart gained eminence in the retail market through the following philosophy:

  1. Realize that customer service is the key.
  2. Provide one-stop shopping.
  3. Design for comfort and convenience.
  4. Customize.
  5. Invert the organizational chart so that the customer take the top position and the management is at the bottom.
  6. Empower the sales staff.
  7. Provide servant leadership.
  8. Recognize that the customer is always right.

2. Focus of changes and objectives

Customers should be allowed to define the focus of all changes and objectives of retail mechanism. Delivery of Quality and standards should be described precisely in all of the dimensions of service delivery with reference to customers’ needs. These should be highlighted in training policy and every induction programmes.

3. Match or exceed customer expectations

The organization should adopt a process and systems approach to match or exceed customer expectations. This is dependent upon a workable quality audit system. In quality audit system, measurement and inspection are applied to ensure that defects are corrected. The system delivers optimum quality results.

4. Human resource management

An effective human resource management motivates rewards, trains and educates staff to understand and deliver the concepts of quality. Another prerequisite for competitive advantage is teamwork values with champions of quality.

5. Value and benefit of any change

Instead of emphasizing costs and profit implications, added value and benefit of any change should be assessed. Particularly the long term benefits of any change should guide the decision making process.

6. Quality audit and control

Quality is the totality of relationship between service providers and the features of retailing which are related to the fulfillment of satisfaction. Quality control checks and monitors processes to ensure that measurement of service delivery is taking place.