Once again Joel Spolsky spins a great post with, Seven steps to remarkable customer service. Read it.
It’s crucial that tech support have access to the development team. This means that you can’t outsource tech support: they have to be right there at the same street address as the developers, with a way to get things fixed.
This idea is powerful yet ignored by most companies. Management must look at the best way to improve the entire system not to lower the cost per support call.
Many qualified people get bored with front line customer service, and I’m OK with that. To compensate for this, I don’t hire people into those positions without an explicit career path. Here at Fog Creek, customer support is just the first year of a three-year management training program that includes a master’s degree in technology management at Columbia University.
Related: Customer Service is Important – Ritz Carlton and Home Depot – Quality Customer Focus – Management Training Program – posts on Spolsky
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