Service Orientation

• Does the person care about adding value to his/her customer?

 

Definition:  Service Orientation is the desire to help and serve one’s customers in a way which best meets their actual needs.  It is shown in the efforts a person will make to understand the customer’s expectations and needs, to provide them with high quality service for a long-lasting and mutually profitable relationship.  “Customer” can be any person or organization the service is intended for (internal client, colleagues at all levels, distributor, consumer etc…).

CONTEXT:

This behavior is developed in organizations:

-      Which have a service and mutual support culture (both internal and external)

-      With recognized service targets

-      Where people are responsible for giving the customers excellent service, or in which staff are accountable for their contribution to customer satisfaction

This behaviour on the other hand cannot be developed in organizations:

-      Which are more focused on products than on customers

-      Where the information and communication systems do not favor knowledge of customer’s needs or any measure of their satisfaction level

Where exaggerated emphasis on short-term results does not encourage the development of partnerships (which calls for occasional sacrifice of immediate gains)

Acts in the perspective of long-term mutual benefit

Level	Standard	Developed	Highly developed
Summary	Takes personal responsibility to deliver a quality service	Determines and addresses underlying customer needs	Acts in the perspective of long-term mutual benefit
Behavioral Indicators	Responds to customer’s requests Makes sure the customer obtains what he has requested Takes the necessary measures to correct any problem Makes self fully available (eg, spends extra time and effort when the customer needs it) Keeps the customer informed of the project’s or the mission’s progress Checks with customers that their needs have been met before moving on to the next task	Seeks to improve knowledge of customer’s business and needs Spends time with the customers to get a better understanding of their needs Asks questions to uncover customers’ underlying needs Looks ahead on the customer’s medium and long-term needs Involves customers in identifying solutions to their problems exploring the pros and cons of alternative options with them Matches underlying needs of customer to available (or customized) products and services	Wins the customer’s trust in order to advise and direct them in their choices Focuses on long term future relationship and profit over immediate advantages Suggests mutually attractive actions to develop a long-term relationship with the customer Becomes involves in customer’s decision making process Reviews existing systems, organizational structure and procedures from each customer’s perspective, identifying ways to make the company more responsive to their needs Develops plans and strategies that are consistent with customer priorities and will optimise the company’s abilities to meet their needs

Behaviors which are not representative include*

Focusing more on his/her own objective than on the customer’s needs Giving the customer minimum service Imposing his/her views on the customer Having no concern of service quality Providing the clients with ready-made solutions/answers on a take it or leave it basis Choosing the easiest solution, even if it is not the best choice for the customer