A Unified Customer Service Model
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The document proposes a unified customer service model for the Nigerian electric power industry, focusing on ITIL-based service management to improve customer satisfaction and service quality. It highlights the importance of request, incident, and problem management processes to address customer issues effectively. The paper concludes that while the model is not perfect, it offers a strategic framework to enhance customer service experiences in the industry.
A Unified Customer Service Model
- 1. A Unified Customer Service Model Optimizing Customer Service Quality for the Nigerian Electric Power Industry through the implementation of an ITIL based Service Management Paradigm Femi Akin-Laguda | 29.04.16 | ICAITM 2016 | AICC, Accra Ghana Paper ID: ICAITM160055
- 2. INTRODUCTION For the Nigerian Electric Power Industry, primarily at the distribution end of the value chain, the quality of customer service is inseparable from the core focus of the business process as the deplorable quality and condition of service in existence for decades has done immeasurable damage to customers’ confidence It is, therefore, imperative that the model of customer service implemented succeeds in rescuing the situation by delivering exceptionally customer satisfaction metrics in a bid to push back from the precipice. An exploration of what such a model could be is the focus of this paper 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 2
- 3. THE ITIL FRAMEWORK This paradigm is built on an adaptation of portions of the service management framework as defined by ITIL to the specific needs of the Electric Power Industry. ITIL is a public framework that describes Best Practice in IT service management. It provides a framework for the governance of IT and focuses on the continual measurement and improvement of the quality of IT service delivered, from both a business and a customer perspective. This focus is a major factor in ITIL’s worldwide success and has contributed to its prolific usage and to the key benefits obtained by those organizations deploying the techniques and processes throughout their organizations. Organisations that include major government agencies such as the US Army, Navy and IRS; and private companies including British Airways, VISA, P&G, Sony, Toyota, Disney and many others. 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 3
- 4. REQUEST, INCIDENT & PROBLEM MANAGEMENT SYNERGY Request Management, Incident and Problem Management form a triumvirate of customer service models for a holistic customer-centric offering 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 4 REQUEST MANAGEMENT • Service Availability • Service Delivery • Uniform & Optimized Customer Service Request Management Policy INCIDENT MANAGEMENT • Service Quality • Complaints Resolution • Effective grievance mediation with quick turn around time PROBLEM MANAGEMENT• Service Improvement • Complaints Prevention • Proactive and Reactive prevention of potential and occurring issues Key goal Focus Result
- 5. INCIDENT/COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT An incident is an unexpected disruption of service or reduction in the quality of service to the customer that needs to be resolved immediately Incident management, therefore, are the activities of an organization to identify, analyse, and correct disruptions of service or reduction in the quality of service to restore service quality to required levels according to the SLA. It is important to note that Incidents, however, are not the same as problems. A problem may cause an incident and re-occurring incidents usually indicate an underlying problem. Regulations by the NERC dictate that a customer complaints unit is mandatory for all electricity distribution companies, therefore, our focus will be on the other models that will add critical value to our paradigm 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 5
- 6. PROBLEM & REQUEST MANAGEMENT A problem is the root cause of multiple incidents and may in itself not cause a disruption or reduction in the quality of service Problem Management includes the activities required to diagnose the root cause of incidents identified through the Incident Management process, and to determine the resolution to those problems. A request is a formal application from a customer for a service to be provided; usually low risk, frequently occurring, low cost, low impact changes to the customer’s service offering Request Management includes the activities required to promote superior unified customer satisfaction, attain service level targets, articulate and route requests to the service provider, ensure accurate and timely communication of status and closing or escalation of requests with user consensus 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 6
- 7. REQUEST MANAGEMENT PROCESS 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 7 • Customer applies for a service • Details are logged as a Service Request Record APPLICATION • Service request record matched to Service Catalogue Record • Execution, Duration and Service Fulfilment group is determined EVALUATION • Request is assigned to fulfilment group • Assignment is acknowledged ESCALATION • Service is provided with SLA parameters • Stakeholder informed on completion EXECUTION • Final Quality Check • New Service catalogue Entry is made if required CLOSURE AND REVIEW
- 8. REQUEST MGT. BENEFITS & CHALLENGES BENEFITS 1. Increased customer satisfaction 2. To articulate and route requests to the service provider 3. To ensure accurate and timely communication of status 4. Monitor metrics that indicate performance levels for customer satisfaction 5. Improved service availability, leading to increased revenue 6. Improved decision making from analysis of comprehensive information CHALLENGES 1. Cost of implementation 2. Direct and Indirect Business Process Re-engineering Cost 3. Tools 4. Time 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 8
- 9. PROBLEM MANAGEMENT PROCESS 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 9 • Potential problems are detected • Initial Information collected • trends in the incident data are assessed IDENTIFICATION • Problem is determined to exist • Problem is prioritised • Workarounds are designed if required EVALUATION • Details are scrutinized extensively • Multiple solutions are sought • May require specialist support INVESTGATION • Preferred solution is selected • Implementation model is designed • Performance metrics are agreed • Request for Change SOLUTION DEFINITION • Solution is effected • Change Management policy is implemented as appropriate • Process reversal is prepared IMPLEMENTATION • Implementation is evaluated against performance metrics • Implementation is accepted, re- investigated or terminated REVIEW • Problem details, solution, implementation and review are documented • Problem is considered resolved and closed DOCUMENTATION
- 10. PROBLEM MGT. BENEFITS & CHALLENGES BENEFITS 1. Reactive: Reduction in re-occurring complaints 2. Proactive: Prevention of complaints 3. Improved Customer Satisfaction 4. Increased Revenue & Fiscal Efficiency 5. Improved Lead Time and Implementation New Services 6. Improved Analytics CHALLENGES 1. Cost of implementation 2. Lack of buy-in by stakeholders 3. Problem Management Expertise 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 10
- 11. PROBLEM AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT The primary goal of Problem Management is to find and fix the root cause of incidents and reduce the impact on business. The goal of Change Management is to control and manage the implementation of approved changes within an agreed structure. The relationship between these two service management techniques is that if the root cause of an incident is discovered and a solution is found, the implementation of such a solution would require careful management as it would directly affect the current operational model that is in place. Actually, Change management can be perhaps be referred to as the structured implementation phase of the Problem Management process. 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 11
- 12. SERVICE MANAGEMENT & THE CLOUD This service management paradigm being proposed seems unrelated to the technology concepts being discussed at this conference but it is important to note that the platform on which to effectively run the our Service Management Software solutions is quite obviously “the Cloud” This is because it allows the deployment of unified solutions across all locations, aggregates data more efficiently, assures data integrity for analytics and ensures a more effective oversight of the entire process “The Cloud” is by far the best platform to deploy, implement and manage distributed software solutions 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 12
- 13. CONCLUSIONS While this is by no means a perfect method of customer service management, the paradigm set out in this paper takes on three strategies which are not novel in themselves but together create a framework that can significantly improve the customers service experience for distribution companies within the Electric Power Industry as they look to regenerate their customer satisfaction metrics. Thank you for your time and attention ‘Femi Akin-Laguda LinkedIn Profile Academia.edu Profile femi.akinlaguda@yahoo.com 4/30/2016ICAITM 2016 | A Unified Customer Service Model | Femi Akin-Laguda 13