Your operations team may not interact directly with customers, but there is no denying how they impact the customer experience.  It’s up to them to deliver quality products and services within an expected time frame to meet (or possibly exceed) customer expectations. Their level of service affects how customers perceive your company.

Organizations can take this insight further by determining how operational systems can provide a competitive advantage. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Operations and Customer Service: What’s the Relationship?

Operations have a substantial impact on customer service, affecting some of the most important aspects, including:

• Product Quality: Operations teams produce products, ensuring they are of high quality and meet manufacturer expectations.
• Delivery: An efficient operations team will meet deadlines, so customers receive products promptly.
• Problem-Solving: The operations staff may meet with other departments to learn about customer concerns and provide problem-solving measures, whether this means improving current products or making new ones.

Turning Operations Into a Competitive Advantage

Once leaders realize the strong relationship between customer service and operations, they can work to meet and exceed expectations in the following manner:

Communication Between Departments

Operations cannot fulfil customer service duties without communication between departments, such as marketing and research and development. These departments should let operations teams know what customers are asking for and what they are criticizing. Feedback should be shared openly on an ongoing basis and implemented into designs to improve quality and meet customer needs.

Personalization

Personalization is a huge selling point for customers and can be implemented in the operations stage. This can take different forms, such as creating specifically customized products or updating products to align with customers’ needs. For example, the company may:

• Provide choices, such as a range of colors, sizes, or fabrics
• Offer different levels of customization, ranging from minor details to full designs
• Integrate easy customizations like adding initials, a date, or a photo

Integrate Automation

Given the current business landscape, you can’t maintain a competitive position without automation. It speeds up processes, reduces errors, and saves money, improving efficiency and product quality. It can complete repetitive tasks so employees can focus on more pressing needs.

New systems will work best when clear goals are implemented. Automation also functions well with human oversight, so teach staff how to work alongside it for optimal results.

Optimize Workflows

Map out workflows to identify bottlenecks. Determine where delays occur and how to address them, which may involve rearranging equipment or improving communication. Once a new workflow is developed, create a comprehensive plan with clear goals and details that workers can follow.

Workflows should be revisited regularly for updates and improvement.

Utilize Preventive Maintenance

Technology is necessary in operations, and when it breaks down, it can bring your company to a halt. Preventive maintenance identifies issues to be addressed early on, before they develop into bigger problems. It can be combined with other proactive steps to avoid expensive repairs and downtime.

Invest in Employee Training

Poor employee training can lead to system inefficiency. Ensure workers are well-trained and develop systems to keep them engaged. This could mean providing ongoing training and rewards that support productivity.

Additionally, leaders should train teams to adopt a customer-first mentality. They should constantly be aware of how their actions impact quality and delivery. This type of mentality can give companies a competitive advantage.

Improve Supply Chain Management

Breakdowns can also occur in the supply chain due to vendor issues related to economic, political, and global factors. While these can be difficult to control, they can be minimized with ongoing communication, ensuring vendors keep you in the loop on potential issues.

You may also check in with Google Trends to learn about events that may interfere with your supply chain and take preventative measures. Companies should also always have alternate vendors to work with if they encounter an issue with their primary vendor.

Provide Actionable Metrics

Actionable metrics regarding customer satisfaction, such as average response time, churn rate, and customer satisfaction score (CSAT), may empower teams. Operations teams that are aware of these metrics will understand how they impact them and be motivated to improve.

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