Introduction
Operational Management is defined as an area in business which mainly concentrates on the production of goods and services involving the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are proficient and effectual in terms of meeting the customers’ rations.
The manager in charge of operational management is struck with various responsibilities. The main one includes; managing and directing technical functions of an organization. Technical functions are tasks such as business growth, fabrication and manufacturing and processing of raw materials into finished goods.
Other responsibilities that are entitled to an operational manager are to see to it that the operations management programs of the firm are followed. These programs comprise of manufacturing and production systems, equipment maintenance management, production control, strategic manufacturing policy and industrial labor relations, skilled trade supervision and human resource management.
Operational management mainly targets the customers, therefore it is their formal duty to see to it that customers’ needs are prioritized and met with immediate efficiency.
Stanbic bank is one of the most competent banks around and it is for that reason that we are going to make some few changes in the customer service so as to keep the bank on top. This branch has been rated in the top five of all Stanbic branches of the bank for the last year and the changes that we are going to make are going to see to it that we keep that position.
In trying to find the solution to the bank’s branch problem, we are predetermined to follow some of operations management’s principles and theories. Some of the basic things this article is going to focus on are ‘theories of constraints’. This theories focus on the achievement of managerial constraints through system constraints. The application guidelines to implement this methodology are as follows;
- Identifying the constraints that affect the whole company
- Exploit constraints
- Subordinate process that could be used
- Elevate constraints
- Repeat cycle.
These theories of constraints concentrate on the weakest links in the operation system to achieving a better productivity. Here are the steps followed in details;
Step1. Identify the constraints: This process limits the throughput of the system
Step2. Exploit the constraints: There are many ways into which this step can be done depending on the type of process that is being dealt with here. I found out that when this step is used, the throughout of the constraint is maximized.
Step3. Subordinate process: This step is usually applied before the constraint to avoid or prevent the building-up of inventory that may occur during this process.
Step4. If the thorough put is still not satisfactory, the constraints must be improved even more or completely eliminated from the operations of the company
Step5. Repeat cycle: The process is an ongoing development process, new constraints must be identified and the steps must be repeated for those constraints.
According to my branch operations analysis, customer service is one crucial area that needs changes. Customer service is said to be provision of services to the customer. Heize and Render defines it as activities developed to improve and ensure customer satisfaction. (Heize & Render, 2008, p. 25) This means that the customer should feel that the product or service has met his or her expectations and needs.
The importance of customer service changes with the services and products provided the industry and the customer being handled. Customer service is a crucial part of customer value proposition in the company because customers will remember you even if you don’t remember them and their trust will fade if the level of customer service in your company is low.
Without a good customer service whether you reduce prices or offer discounts, you will only attract the customers but you will not get them to come back. Good customer service is therefore mainly about getting your customers to come back again and sending them away happy and satisfied. Its essence is to create a good and lasting relationship with the customer that the customer would love to maintain.
Evenson states that some of the qualities or activities of a good customer service includes answering your phone whenever a customer calls the business so that they are attended to all the time. You should also make only promises that you can keep so that you can be reliable to the customers and strengthen your relationship. Nothing annoys the customer like a broken promise. (Evenson, 2005, p. 89)
You should also listen to your customers problems and complains and be attentive while they talk so that they feel that you care about them and that you are interested in helping solve the problems that they have. Another good quality is to deal with the customers complaints in the best way possible whether it is their fault or yours.
You should also be helpful all the time even if there is no profit to gain, train your staff to be always helpful and courteous and take an extra step to improve your customer service. These are the general customer service qualities and activities that companies should practice.
They however differ in different industries and institutions. The banking industry has been known to improve their customer service in order to be effective and maintain as many customers as possible.
Real banks deal with a large number of customers and they have to create a god relationship with the customers so that they can be loyal and come back again. They have branches all over and they have to ensure a good customer service in the branches as well.
Keyes explains that for real banks to improve their customer service in the branches, they have to start by examining the events that happens everyday in the branches that mostly affect either positively or negatively how the customer perceives the bank. (Keyes, 1999, p. 214) It is from these events that the banks can know what part to improve so that they can maintain the loyalty of their customers.
Qualities and roles of operational management
Banks have branches locally with some having branches all over the world. Their image to the customers is therefore an important factor in ensuring that they are prosperous. They therefore do not only maintain a good customer service at the main office but also in the branches.
The branches are in fact more crucial because many customers can access the branches more than the main office and therefore the kind of customer service they find in the branches will determine if they remain loyal to the bank or seek another bank which gives a better customer service.
Carlaw & Deming believe that for banks to improve their customer service, the management team of the banks has to hire, train and maintain the best customer support representatives that have the qualities necessary to maintain a good customer service. (Carlaw & Deming, 1998, p. 114)
Qualities needed to deliver good customer service
Banking skills
These skills are required for the customer service representatives in banks. The qualities needed under the banking skills include the knowledge of the banks products and services.
The representatives should be well acquainted with the products and services that the bank is offering so that they can be able to explain it to a customer who doesn’t know much about the products or services and does not know which service or product to choose that suits his or her interest.
Kamin explains that this quality shows that the representatives understand their company and this builds confidence in the customer for example if a customer does not know which account to open for his or her savings and the representative explains all the types of accounts to her with every detail and recommends an account for her then he or she will be confident in the representative and in themselves too. (Kamin, 2006, pp 108)
It also maintains the professional image of the banks and it draws more customers.
Another quality needed for the banking skills is knowledge of the bank policies. The representatives should know the bank policies used in handling certain issues for example complaints.
This quality will help in solving any problems that may occur in the banks with the customers for example when there are many customers in the bank that need attention then the representative should apply the bank’s policies of first come first serve. This will demonstrate reliability of the bank to the customers and prompt them to come again
Communication skills
These skills are also a crucial requirement for the customer service representatives of the banks to have. Spector & McCarthy state that Communication skills enables the representatives to communicate effectively with the customers and entail a lot of qualities or sun skills like effective communication, active listener, good telephone communicator and others that a representative should have. (Spector & McCarthy, 2005, pp 127)
The representatives should know how to handle telephone calls by ensuring that they receive all the calls from customers any time and ensuring that they handle the conversation well and to the customer’s satisfaction for example if a customer needs to talk to the manager who is not in, the representative should be able to explain to the customer that the person they are looking for is out and what time they will be back and if he or she can take a message.
This will be courteous to the customer and having been treated with respect will boost his loyalty.
Attentiveness during communication is also necessary. When communicating to customers, you should be as attentive as possible and make sure that the customers do not have to repeat themselves unless necessary. This will demonstrate mental alertness of the representatives and show that they are interested in whatever the customer is talking about and also show that they care about the customer’s needs.
This helps in building the loyalty of the customer and solving any problems for example if a customer has complains about a service offered to him or her at the bank, you should be able to listen to him or her attentively and try and help him or her solve the problem. This will prompt the customer to come back and use more services of the bank having in mind that in case of any problems, it will be handled effectively.
Technological skills
These skills are also important for effective customer service in banks. The customer service representatives are required to be well trained in technology and be acquainted with the technological developments for example the knowledge of computers and even the use of automated machines. This technological ability enables the representative to apply technical knowledge and skills when performing his or her duty.
This ability also makes works easier and the representatives can draw the customers to the bank without the customer coming physically to the bank.
It also helps the bank to organize their work and activities well so that the customer can be easily attracted to its services and therefore become loyal to the bank for example if a customer wants his or her bank statements then the representative having the knowledge of the computers and printers can easily print the statements and give it to the customer immediately instead of waiting for someone who has the knowledge.
Personal skills
These skills are also required for good customer service. Personal skills include things like honesty, ability to persuade, time keeping and quick decision maker. Bonomo believes that the ability to persuade for example will help you persuade customers to come to your bank and also to be loyal to the bank but this will depend on your ability to persuade them and how you also interact with them. (Bonomo, 2002, p. 34)
The quality of quick decision maker will help you make decisions for example which account to open for a customer in the bank and this will make you efficient. Good personal skills are very integral skills for a good customer care service assistant. Personal skills will determine how you treat the customer and this will eventually determine the productivity of the customer care relations in that company
Role of Operations management in supporting front line staff effectively
For the representatives to be very effective, the management of the banks must be supportive enough towards the representatives by training them and giving tem morale and even showing them directions.
Training sessions. Collie & Violano state that the management should organize training sessions and workshops for the representatives so that they can learn more on good customer care service and interact with each other to share ideas on how to be good customer service representatives. (Collie & Violano, 2002, p. 156)
This will help them sharpen their skills and be acquainted with the current issues surrounding customer service.
The management should also be supportive enough to the representatives by ensuring that they are working in a conducive environment for example they should offer refreshments like tea and also give them reasonable breaks like a one hour lunch breaks.
The management can also organize staff retreats and team building activities for every branch and also parties for all the branches. This can be an opportunity for the representatives from different branches to share and learn from each other and it also gives them time to relax and be able to work well
Staff members are an integral part of an organization and therefore management should ensure that they are taken good care of. Operations management should therefore ensure that employees are given a good remuneration package with an appraisal package and recognition.
When employees perform well, they should be recognized either by being awarded or by being promoted. These promotions and rewards will motivate the employee to perform better because he will be certain that the management cares about his needs of being promoted. It will also motivate other employees to work harder so that they can be promoted
Management should organize conferences and forums for employees to improve their effectiveness in their work place. Conferences and forums help them to meet with other customer care representatives from other companies and compare notes and also share the challenges that they go through and give suggestions on how they can overcome these challenges.
These conferences also make the employees aware of the current issues and requirements of customer care service and this will improve how they work. The conferences will also improve the skills of the employees because they will be learning new ideas on how to improve their customer service skills and apply them in their working areas hence improving the image of the company that they are working for
Measuring customer satisfaction
Hayes believes that the management can use many methods to find out if their customers have been satisfied. (Hayes, 1998, p. 46)
The banks can conduct informal surveys on the customers to find out the level of the service for example after being served in the bank, the customer can fill out a written service on how the general service at the bank was and management can analyze the responses to know how the customers rate their customer service.
The management can also use comment cards. These are small cards where customers can write their comments about the bank’s service. The management will therefore analyze the details of the comments and react to them adequately.
Verbal comments of the customers are another way to measure how the customer service of the bank is doing. If the customers are happy and praising the services that they have received at the bank then this is a sign that they are doing well and if the customers are complaining then they will have to improve their customer service.
Management can also use the historical data of the bank to measure the customer satisfaction of the bank. If the past information on customer satisfaction of the bank has been good then the management can conclude that the bank has been delivering good services to the customers and therefore management will put in strategies to maintain the same trend and if possible improve the customer service.
The sales of the bank can also be used to measure the satisfaction of the customers. If the customers are treated well then they will tend to purchase more and therefore the sales will be high and this will show that they are satisfied.
On the other hand if they are not treated well they will not use the services of the banks and the sales will reduce indicating that the customers are not happy with their work or work environment and therefore they are not satisfied.
The banks can also use corporate generated surveys which will show the position of the bank among other corporate and if it is highly ranked then it will mean that the customers are happy with the services of the bank and that is why they have ranked it highly and if it is ranked lowly then it means that the customers are not satisfied.
The position of the bank will enable the management know the level of customer satisfaction in their bank and how they can improve that level of management.
Discussions with internal customers can also be a way to measure customer satisfaction. The management can discuss with internal customers how the bank’s customer service is and if they have been treated well and if they are satisfied. Since internal customers are regular customers, there answers are genuine and can be used as a basis to know whether the customer service at the bank is effective.
Management can also use focus groups to know if their customers have been satisfied. Hayes states that these groups focus on customer satisfaction in companies by assessing the views of the customer. (Hayes, 2008, p.125) If they rate the customer satisfaction at the bank as high then the management will know that their customers are satisfied.
The management can also install toll free phone services where the customers can call and give their views on whether they were satisfied or not and how the customer service was. This kind of service is more appropriate, convenient and cheaper to use by the employees. This will help in knowing whether the customers are satisfied or not.
Management can also use questionnaires to find out the level of customer satisfaction that the bank is offering. Questionnaires are pieces of papers with questions that ask whether the customer satisfaction has been good or not.
The questionnaires are given to all employees to fill and then they are later reviewed and sampled to know whether the employees are satisfied or not. Questionnaires can either be closed where you either respond yes or no or they can be open where you can give an answer and a reason or an opinion to the answer that you have given
Conclusion
Operations management should be very effective in an organization because it is the part of management that will ensure that employees are well taken care of and they are motivated enough to ensure that the goals of the company are achieved.
Good customer care service is important to an organization because the customers are the most important resource to an organization and therefore they should be treated with enough care and ensures that they are satisfied
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