What Other Service Areas Should We Benchmark? (3 of 4)
by Service 800, Inc.

The four-week series includes the following articles:

• What Types of Benchmarks are Available?
  
• How is Customer Satisfaction Different from Customer Loyalty?
  
• Are There Unique Considerations When Measuring Service Satisfaction Abroad?
  
• What Are Some Ways to Overcome Cultural Issues When Measuring Service Satisfaction Abroad?

Are There Unique Considerations When Measuring Service Satisfaction Abroad?

Measuring service satisfaction isn’t just an issue in the U.S. The explosive growth of multi-national companies, global distribution capabilities, and the Internet have many companies doing business worldwide. European and Asia-Pacific benchmarks provide performance measurement programs for companies with a strong presence in these areas.

If your company competes in Europe or the Asia-Pacific region, you might want to benchmark your service performance to help streamline operations and maximize service performance. Also, as we discuss below, cultural differences in customer expectations and service delivery models drive region-specific benchmarks. After all, customer support expectations and service delivery is very different in Europe as compared to the US.

The process for international benchmarking is virtually the same as it is in the US. However, benchmarking in other geographies requires a unique approach given the multitude of languages and the cultural differences from country to country.

Define Europe
You may wonder how SERVICE 800 defines Europe. We don’t, you do. Some companies define the European region as traditional western-block countries, while others might include the former eastern-block, or even the middle east. Regardless of your definition, country-by-country benchmarks are available, as opposed to benchmarks for all of Europe or all of Asia.

Determine benchmark needs
European and Asian benchmarks are available at different levels. From a macro standpoint, companies can measure customer satisfaction by comparing one region to another. You can also measure customer satisfaction country-by-country (for example, UK, France, or Germany).

SERVICE 800 also compiles aggregate data from specific benchmarks and reports information (confidentially protecting each participant) in a country-by-country service performance benchmark.

Benchmarking by industry or product type, such as by type of software, is also becoming popular, along with benchmarking by type of service (for example, technical help desk or installation support). The benchmarking results allow you to drill down to the technician level to understand if specific personnel need further training in key areas.

Consider cultural differences in responses
In the U.S., customers have similar expectations for service and support, making it easier to compare performance. In Europe, cultural differences between countries make it a bit more challenging to analyze data. For example, customer expectations in Spain might be lower than in the UK. Hence, a customer in Spain might rank service performance higher than a UK customer who received the same level of service.

Delivery models from country to country also impact responses. Remember, a true benchmark compares similar service providers. If customers in a densely populated country expect service within hours, do not compare them to providers in a county with a dispersed population because service expectations can be different.

Report in English
You should also consider the unique reporting needs of European and Asian benchmarks. Most organizations in these areas have multi-lingual employees. Because English is the universal language of business, most customers prefer reports in English. However, reports are available in any number of languages as needed.

SERVICE 800, Inc. strategically placed their EMEA/AP office in London due to the truly international population mix. This can help your European and Asia service locations implement a performance measurement program, specific to your needs.

Next Week - What Are Some Ways to Overcome Cultural Issues When Measuring Service Satisfaction Abroad?

To Contact Us — To discuss this topic, any other Benchmark Benefits article, or to provide topic suggestions, please contact Jan DeMatteo at jan@service800.com.

For More Information — For additional information about the SSPA SoftwareMetric Customer Satisfaction Benchmark, SERVICE 800, or other benchmark programs, visit www.service800.com/benchmarkprograms.asp.

About SERVICE 800
Founded in 1989, SERVICE 800 designs and administrators real-time customer satisfaction measurement programs, helping service organizations follow up with their customers within hours or days of service events. The company utilizes a distinctive follow up telephone interview process along with e-mail, web, and other survey techniques to measure customer satisfaction. With offices in Minneapolis and London, SERVICE 800 has been measuring customer satisfaction for corporations throughout the world for over a decade.