Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/376303
23 Service Bay F ew scenarios are more stressful to a service department than a customer complaint. They appear out of nowhere and can turn your entire opera- tion upside down. While this month's cover story tackles the steps necessary to wade your way through such confl ict, it's also important to expand on one specifi c aspect of confl ict resolution — documenta- tion. Recording your actions during a critical event is crucial. In a situ- ation where tempers run high, the ability to show your work as you move toward resolution offers customers, and your team, valuable peace of mind. It keeps everyone in the loop. But it's not easy. Building a documentation strategy for your operation requires a willingness to dedi- cate time before, during and after a crisis to making your business better. The fi rst step in recording a critical event actually comes well before an event occurs — you have train your people on the importance of documenta- tion, says Chas Voyles, regional manager of fl eet services at Navistar, and chairman of the Technology and Maintenance Council's Service Provider 'Confl ict Resolution' task force. Customers don't give lead time on complaints. When something goes bad you hear from them immediately, and in most cases they expect immediate support. Training an employee to withstand an angry customer's fi rst call puts you on the right track to a resolution, but unless they also are trained to record what they're doing in those early moments, you are at risk of losing valuable information. Voyles says there's a benefi t to knowing how an employee handles an initial complaint for training and reference purposes, especially considering the circumstances. "Their mind is going a million miles an hour," he says. Training also can ensure your staff knows how to record different aspects of a confl ict. Fielding a complaint from an agitated customer can be an overwhelming task. You don't want to make it any harder on your W W W . T R U C K P A R T S A N D S E R V I C E . C O M S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 | T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E We simply don't have the manpower and available time to record everything. We have to create repeatable systems that offer simple and easy ways to record [those interactions]. – Kenneth Calhoun, vice president of customer relations at Truck Centers of Arkansas