0904

Problem

Describe the most important customer needs in product support services.

Step-by-step solution

Show all steps

Step 1/3

The service of product support is a marketing tool. In the business-to-business markets the support of sold equipment is as important as product itself. Moreover, the support service of the product offered can most often set a vendor as its competitors. It is seen that failure to provide services can cause problem in the global market.

Step 2/3

Customers need and purchase of goods and related services follows a lifecycle approach. The most vital customer requirements in the product support services are as discussed below:

1. How often the failure to provide service takes place: The number of failures to provide expected services to customers will decrease customers purchasing decision for the equipment and related service.

2. Experiencing interruption: When there is interruption or gap in providing the product support service for the required product, customers might feel dissatisfied and switch to other similar services.

3. Cost of the downtime: The cost of the interruption or gap of providing the service are to be borne by the product support service provider for effective customer relationship management.

4. Uncertainties in the above aspects: Customers suffer costs to repair items and lost wages for idle employees during failure of providing support service.

Step 3/3

The three main product support service strategies are design related, support system related and reducing customer’s risk strategies. Changing product model or building redundancy will increase product reliability. Changing customers support system like improving response time or repair time will improve support system. Warranties and contracts of service strategies will reduce customer risks.