How a service is perceived by the customers is critical for long term sustenance of an organization. There are complexities in handling customers on day to day basis. Minor objections based on standard operating procedures and attitude of persons dealing with customer causes a number of avoidable customer grievances. Appropriate attitude is required to deal with customers on day to day basis. A visitor is not only an important person in the premises, but purpose of a service oriented organization.
Market decides its own course
Fast moving technological advances, improvisation of infrastructure and communication channels, especially the social media platforms, have increased customer awareness and expectations. This has also prompted the organizations to respond proactively, customer expectations and to the customer needs. Quality at optimum cost is the norm for futuristic businesses. Progressive business entities need to realise that efficiency, quality and time are critical factors, especially in the service delivery segment of an organisation.
A number of hotels in a particular area have recently leased out their businesses to the professional organisations/companies, who are now managing these businesses in a professional manner effectively. This is an indicator that market demands optimum utilisation of resources. Market also demands professional service delivery, which was not possible in previous few years. The traditional business practices are parting their ways to the professional organisations. It may be seen that even a brand organization has been facing issues. The issue of time lag, such as delivery of an order. The order gets delayed owing to unprofessional working and casual approach of the team members. Though, the customer wishes to get that fulfilled promptly. Extended time is measure of patience, thereby causes customer dissatisfaction.
Quality of service delivery also varies from place to place. Service delivery in the metropolitan cities is quicker, whereas, the same is a slightly prolonged at places depending upon lifestyle and pace of the city. In hotel industry, quality of food assumes paramount importance especially to the customers who are repeated visitors. At times some hotels serve stale dishes unknowingly. Kitchen requires frequent deep cleaning. High temperature andhumidity makes the situation worst. This aspect is not categorically noticed and acted upon by the management. Preparation, storage and delivery of food need to be supervised and professionally managed. Hotel chains might be trying to handle such scenarios. Customer experiences are such that customers are compelled to visit again.
So what does market want or how does market operates in today’s world? Market decides its course and customer is the strongest player in the market. Cost is another factor, whereas quality being the third one. Customer delight is the norm. Retention and loyalty are equally important aspects. Time of course is critical and ease of delivery has been duly recognised by the progressive organizations, like Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy and so on. Online market is not all the time dependable. Sometimes customers might have felt that quality compromises are visible here and there. In certain segments, quality is not up to mark, especially food items delivered through cloud kitchens. Here comes silver lining for traditional stores and showrooms, which can come forward to offers decent discounts to retain their customers.
State of affairs in the Government Organizations
Recently, a lot of focus has been laid on the customer grievances. Time bound settlement of grievances is the focus area of the Government Organisations. Root cause analysis is also one of the focus areas (being attempted recently). However, it is not possible to have a real time analysis sitting at the Boardroom. The entire service delivery mechanism needs to be reviewed in totality and overhauled in the service oriented Government Organisations. The field offices in the public service delivery function in a set pattern, where the senior most officer/official is accountable to higher authorities for day to day activities.
The organisations never work on optimum level and this is the system prevailing in the present scenario. The onus of smooth functioning of field units lies on the officers being in-charge, however, a lot depends upon grassroot workers and subordinate officers as well. The real time accountability of everyone has become inevitable, where support of latest technology is imminent. Despite technological advancements, headway is yet to be made, where real time performance is measured to an extent that compels an individual to perform or perish. Thus, team leader has own up a lot of critical aspects. Systemic support would certainly support smooth and flawless functioning of any organisation. This would be another step towards timely and effective delivery of services to stakeholders. The entire service delivery depends on a multiple factors, especially on the attitude of the grass root workers. Real time accountability needs to be ensured. Interpretation of standard operating procedures, rigid mindset, and peer pressure are the causes of customer Grievances (avoidable).
What EPFO Jammu does to improve Customer Satisfaction?
A multiprong approach has been adopted in EPFO Jammu to address issues being faced by customers. Proactive responsive small team has been constituted to provide handholding support to offline and online visitors. Access to customer has been provided, not only in the office, but through other modes as well. Direct access through WhatsApp, emails, telephones and social media is available to the stakeholders. Personalized attention to each issue has been ensured. A visitor in the office is accorded prompt attention with respect. Facilitation centre tries to resolve the issues in time bound manner within the constrains (shortage of manpower). Flexi-working has been adopted (with the support of volunteer staff members), who have been contributing in effective service delivery significantly. Team building (a challenging task in Government Organisation) is visible, where proactive action of a team member is adopted by other team members. Some of the team members have exhibited extra ordinary acumen to volunteer. Handholding support to fellow officials has been extended.
Since the work of entire J&K was being dealt from EPFO Jammu, there are many instances where members could not get their PF money owing to some technical issues for over one and a half years. Constant communication was being made by these members to me. Daughter of Mr Basheer Ahmad Gujri had telephoned almost twenty times. Matter was appraised to EPFO, HO and constant track of issue was maintained. One of the specific qualities of the people of J&K that I have experienced is that they never expressed anguish of getting the solution in time.
Similarly, partial PF amount of Syed Mohammad Ashraf (an employee of J&K Forest Development Corporation) got stuck owing to the fact that he had withdrawn major chunk of PF subscription once and thereafter another transfer was received from Srinagar. Annual Accounts for a particular period needed to be issued and then only this amount could be paid to him. Syed Ashraf recently informed of the development (having received the balance payment) and thanked me. These two examples are worth mentioning, where, at time communication with customer with empathy can have a happy ending (without any bitterness between the organisation and the beneficiary). There are thousands of cases where proactive decision making has helped members (as their claim which were proposed to be rejected, got settled). Officers need to interpret rules and provisions towards the fulfilment of an enactment, which has been reasonably done in EPFO Jammu during previous three years. The office has received two consecutive awards on the Foundation Day of EPFO.
Silver Lining for Public Utilities and Government Organisations (Case of GMC Jammu and functioning of Dental College Jammu)
My recent experience in a critical road accident case where one of the employees engaged in EPFO Jammu through outsourced agency was brought to Government Medical College Jammu in a critical condition after midnight. After necessary formalities and paperwork, the injured was waiting for treatment. I tried to contact Dr Bharat Bhushan on emergency duty, and he responded proactively. The boy was in extremely critical condition. Timely attention of Dr Bharat Bhushan proved to a life saving stance. Thereafter I talked to the Principal Dr Ashutosh Gupta (considering the seriousness of the matter, where neuro-surgical operation was proposed). The patient, not only got cured, but he is able to walk freely and independently. My experience in Dental College Jammu has also been very encouraging. HOD’s have been highly cooperative in Dental College with visitors, where common citizen can easily get dental treatment in this College.
Conclusion
“Service oriented architecture can manage loosely coupled business processed”- this quote was by me in a magazine almost twenty years ago. However, this is highly relevant for service delivery. Markets not only keep evolving but keep prompting the business entities to improve relentlessly. Consistent improvisation in quality, cost, timelines and customer satisfaction have become norm now. Authorities at the apex level need to facilitate delivery of service in proactive and responsive manner. Where the men on driver seats must hear patiently and consistent efforts are needed to achieve “simplification of processes and improvisation of services”.
(The Author is Regional PF Commissioner of J&K including Ladakh; Cyclist, health and environment enthusiast)
