It is indeed an importantaspect of trade: Customer
relationship management
/ Training and Education. The
Three pillars of the sector
would become a game
changer for various
companies if they look into it
seriously and invest in the
said activities. With more
number of products available
from countries such as China,
Japan, Taiwan etc, it becomes
imperative for domestic tech
service providers to enhance
and upgrade their respective
allied services to the clients.
The Industry has been talking about the after sales and service and
management for a long time now and some of the distributors have
also invested a formidable amount in terms for resource, 'train the
trainer' and education, but there is still a long way to go. There have
been instances of customers effected totally due to down time and
maintenance. The machinery and technology supplied to the
customers either have not been appropriately serviced or the operators
of the said machines have not been trained. These and more have led to
a silent chaos among the jewellery manufacturers and clients that
today every one of them are demanding an efficient after sales service
and training.
There is a dire need for
education, training and
understanding of the
intricacies of "after sales
service" in any professional
sector and this will only lay a
strong foundation for
structuring the respective
segment and upgrading for
better business and
relationship management. It
becomes imperative for the
tech and machinery Industry
in India to adopt a 360 degree
enhancement in terms of
educating the members through seminars, conclaves and forums that
will not only help the Founder Directors, but also the staff members to
understand the importance of the concept of "Customer service".
While there are many an Indian distributing companies who with
sheer passion for expanding their respective business have built in a
strong base comprising of intellectual resource and state of the art
infrastructure to service the existing and potential customers with
respect to the products and services they distribute. No wonder such
companies with critical infra support have been able to do incremental
business with the existing clients. There is also an immense reference
point that works for the said companies in their customers.
The "customer service" and "after sales service" logic also holds true
for all those dealers and distributors who import equipments from countries such as Italy, Israel, Germany, China and many other
economies to have a trained resource explaining A to Z about the said
product to the potential customers. Knowledge becomes a key aspect
here for sale. As they say first impression is the last, thorough
knowledge on the product will only build belief and trust of the
customer who will not only like to buy the said product, but also will
be satisfied with the after sales service that he can expect. He in turn
will become a good case study for the company to procure more
clients in the sector.
JTM bureau, through a thorough test market and research have
identified grey area's that still exist among the tech and machinery
segment and is addressing the nuances to make the tech industry a
strong and sustainable business for a long time to come. With more
number of suppliers and multinational companies setting up a
distribution channel, it is important for the existent players to invest
and look into the three pillars of business CRM, TRAINING &
EDUCATION.
Arvind Patel
MD, Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd.
Mr. Arvind PatelManaging Director SLTL talks to
the JTM bureau on the important link that bonds
the supplier and the customer in "After sales
service". He opines on the growth chart
experienced by the company after integrating
"after sales service and support" as an critical
pillar for business. Excerpts:
According to you how important is the "After
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and
sustain our customers for long terms
relationship?
After Sales service has always been a back-bone
to the growth of all the corporates around the
world. It's in-thing which makes the company Big.
We at Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd. (SLTL)
take it as a milestone for future growth. To us,
scientists can create out of the world products but
without the after sales servicing, it gets to
nowhere. Customer satisfaction need to be
measured for all future growths / expansion and
that is where big companies and small companies
get differentiated.
After-Sales servicing requires huge investment in
terms of manpower recruitments and training as
well as goods in inventory. So its not easy for small
players with limited resources. We in India, which
is world's fastest growing economy, will be
learning to invest in after sales service aspect so as
to be world leaders. Already most of the
companies have started to understand it and in
near future, business will be going to only ones
with good track record.
There are Tech tools and machinery imported from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
As India still is growing fast and being IT hub of
the world, we have been lucky to use latest
technology in our factories. As the world is
becoming one big global village, wherein
importing is quite easy, there has been lot of
imports from China and European countries. The
prices have been manipulated and thus imports are
becoming cheaper than in-house manufacturing.
Though this will not be sustainable in the long run,
but in short term, its creating problems both for
manufacturer as well as factories which are using
them. The technology manufacturer is trying to
match the prices of cheap imports whereas the
factories using them are having difficulty in aftersales
support. Also since the terminology and the
working environment are different in India and
overseas, the equipments starts to breakdown.
Also training aspect is missing when buying from
overseas and proper SOP is not in hand with the
factory.
We have been exporting to 30 countries and we
make it sure to impart proper training and provide
them full SOP at the time of installation. This
helps us to maintain our systems online over long
period of time without any physical visits to the
factory.
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for
the benefit of the existent and potential
customers?
The high end laser market is still not very big and
thus after-sales servicing has a very big share in
repeat sales. Also the industry been small and most
of them know each other, so potential customers
are attracted by know the track record of the
supplier. They make complete analysis of the
product and the company before finalizing the
order. We at SLTL have our annual audits in this
regard but way of checking our repeat orders visà-
vis competitors. We do in-depth study on the
root causes for any potential failures or drawbacks
on lines of service support. Quarterly training
imparted to our service engineers in general and
exhaustive knowledge sharing at the time of product launch. during training. No matter how
many times the technician may have trained
before it is always advisable to refer the manual
time and again.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject
of "Customer Support" for the tech and
machinery sector to make it a more structured
segment that in turn will bring in goodwill
towards the principals?
Yes. There is inherent need for such a workshop
for the industry. Just as said earlier, Indian
technology provider needs a better understanding
of this aspect for becoming a global player. The
Brand India will be hugely benefitted by that way
and our government's 'Make in India' be
successful.
Mehernosh D. Printer
Director, NJTPL
Mr Mehernosh Printer in this exclusive interview
with the JTM bureau throws light on the important
role played by Tech and Machinery distributors,
manufacturers and consultants to upkeep the
service levels relating to the supply chain and the
growing demand for training and development.
Excerpts:
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for
the benefit of the existent and potential
customers?
We truly believe that we have been leaders in
bringing advanced and state of the art equipments
to the Jewellery Industry only due to our
dedication relating to "After Sales Service" and
"Customer Support" at every stage. We
understand that it is the prime need to be a market
leader. "No compromise at whatever cost" is our
motto.
According to you how important is the "After
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and
sustain our customers for long terms
relationship?
"After Sales Service" is the prime service / action
needed in today's scenario. Updates in technology
are fast changing. Keeping our staff updated and
transferring that to our clients will keep client
loyalty. In an age where equipment is built with an
intention to last for years, you should have the
desire to keep the equipment longer than its
expected age of working life. That's what the
service department should strive for. Give the
equipment more life than expected - with the latest
development and upgrades.
There are Tech tools and machinery imported
from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
Consumer purchases the equipment off the shelf.
Manuals help to set them up. Perfect, step by step
training is a must. Our technical team should go
one step after the other with manual in hand, ask
questions pertaining to their queries in actual day
to day working.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject
of "Customer Support" for the tech and
machinery sector to make it a more structured
segment that in turn will bring in goodwill
towards the principals?
Imparting knowledge and education about our
products will always help. It will keep our clients
abreast of the latest developments that our
(worldwide) Principals want to offer. But this
education should reach the actual workers and
maintenance staff. They should absorb this
knowledge from time to time and be allowed to
ask questions pertaining to their queries in actual
day to day working.
Laxmikant D. Vaidya
Director, Technovision
Engineering & Services (I) Pvt. Ltd.
Mr.Laxmikant .D. Vaidya Director Technovision
Engineering & Service ( I ) Pvt Ltd dwells on the
subject of 'After sales service" and its vitality to the
tech and machinery sector. An exclusive:
There are Tech tools and machinery imported
from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
Training is an integral part of the sales concerning
the best and latest technology. The training should
be easy to understand and user friendly. Proper
installation & training shall determine the life of
the technology or machinery.
According to you how important is the "After
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and sustain
our customers for long terms relationship?
After sales service is a very important factor in the
line of business that we are in. Today the client
checks on the person or the company behind the
machine that he purchases. The principals are from
other countries however we are the bridge between
the user and the manufacturer, hence the user first
should be sure that the person/company
representing in India is capable enough to comply
with these issues.
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for
the benefit of the existent and potential
customers?
We have introduced in India the latest technology
available globally for the last two decades. Before
introducing any technology we convince
ourselves, take proper training and then convince
the prospective clients. Our philosophy is to part
with the maximum information about the
technology with the user and make them aware as
to the areas where-in they can enter and also the
restricted areas. By doing so our experience is that
human errors are minimal, resulting in trying to
achieve zero down time related to the machinery.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject
of "Customer Support" for the tech and
machinery sector to make it a more structured
segment that in turn will bring in goodwill
towards the principals?
Yes there is lot of scope for the improvement in this
area and hearing from experts from the industry
shall help our sector to educate and enhance their
knowledge.
Mr. Naresh Balani
Director- Operations &
Marketing Amrit Group
In this exclusive, Mr. Naresh Balani Director-
Operations & Marketing, Amrit Gem talks about
the importance of "After sales Service" and opines
on the importance of customer satisfaction.
Excerpts:
According to you how important is the "After
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and
Sustain our customers for long terms
relationship?
We should understand that a customer always
would require something urgently at any point of
time during day or night regarding the product /
service sold. It always then becomes important to
put our customer's before us and do our best in
terms of servicing them.
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for
the benefit of the existent and potential
customers?
Service efficiency levels are actually the most
important aspect. To prove it I can give an example
of our company been in this industry since 1984
and we never felt the requirement of sales team as
our product and service has been world class and of
International standards. We have supplied our
product across the globe with no sales team and
only applying the best of our after sales service and
support.
There are Tech tools and machinery imported
from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
All the customers using imported technology &
machinery should be trained by their respective
local counterpart. The said trainers should be well
equipped to ensure proper working of the
equipment's, adequate supervision should be given
t ensure the health and safety of the technicians
with while the machinery is in use. Training should
be delivered inhouse using appropriate product
instruction and the background knowledge skills
of the said trainers deputed by the machinery
manufacturers or principals. , adequate training
should be delivered in-house using the
manufacturer's instructions and the background
knowledge / skills or with help of more
experienced workers or the technicians from their
principals.
In case if companies or principals are not able to
provide training, Customers should be competent
to train themselves for the machinery imported.
Training – along with knowledge, experience and
skill – helps develop such competence. Actually It
is not possible to detail here what constitutes
'adequate training', as requirements will vary
according to the job or activity, the existing
competence of workers, the circumstances of the
work, the work equipment, etc.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject
of "Customer Support" for the tech and
machinery sector to make it a more structured
segment that in turn will bring in goodwill towards the principals?
Definitely, educational meets and seminars which
are led by experts focusing on tech and machinery
sector has numerous benefits, including improving
skills, gaining expert knowledge, networking with
others and renewing motivation and
confidence.Seminars actually gives intensive
exposure to a topic through discussions led by
multiple experts. It can lead to higher productivity
and fulfillment of production goals.
Bhavin Kamdar
Partner, Aditi Laser Group
Jtm Bureau Spoke To Mr. Bhavin Kamdar Partner,
Aditi Laser Group About The Importance Of
"after Sals Service" And Got An Insight On The
Same. Excerpts:
There are tech tools and machinery imported
from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
Trining is the most important area. It is like 'the
better you educate and teach your customer, better
will be the health of the machine'. They need to
dedicate less time in future to maintain and service
the said machinery, if initial training is taken care.
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for the
benefit of the existent and potential customers?
we are trying our level best to support our customers
pan india with the best of service and support. We
are offering them all the possible options for support
to minimise downtime. We offer online support and
also if required we do provide a stand by machine to
customers with conditions ofcourse. We focus more
on procurement and design of the machines to see
that we have minimum downtime at customer end.
According to you how important is the "after
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and sustain
our customers for long terms relationship?
It is the most important thing in any business where
technology and human interface is involved. I do
not see sellers / dealers etc doing enough justice to
customer's in giving post sales service. There is a lot
of and room for improvement.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject
of "customer support" for the tech and
machinery sector to make it a more structured
segment that in turn will bring in goodwill
towards the principals?
I am not sure on the eeforts for the above. Yes, such
seminars and education al meets surely boost
confidence among the principals, that their
products handled by an efficient and effective
team.
Mr. Kamlesh Parekh
Founder and Director
Imaginarium India Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Kamlesh Parekh Founder and Director
Imaginarium India Pvt Ltd in this exclusive defines
the role of after sales support and tech training for
optimum productivity and customer retention. Read
on..
According to you how important is the "After
sales service" role in your business? Do you
think we are doing enough to service and sustain
our customers for long terms relationship?
The strengthening bond between any organisation
and customer depends on the "After sales service"
that is provided by that organisation. Today,
consumers are doing more research before buying a
new product, expecting companies to meet their
needs and respond effectively to their problems. We
at Imaginarium factor in the expectations of our
consumers and have a very thorough after sales
service in place for our clients to achieve the most
out of their purchases. The relationship we establish
with our consumers is one of long-term where our
primary objective is to offer the best solution for our
client's business and that will favor them in the long
run.
There are Tech tools and machinery imported
from multinational companies or principals.
How important is training regarding the said
machinery to the customers?
Training presents a prime opportunity for
companies to expand the knowledge of their
workforce. Employees who receive the necessary
training have a greater understanding of the
technology and machine which in turn builds
confidence towards that particular technology. This
confidence enhances their overall performance and
increases work efficiency. A robust machinery
training program for employees also improves
machine life and helps businesses deliver quicker,
leading to a faster company growth.
With respect to "after sales service" and
"customer support" how do you see your
esteemed company faring and upgrading for the
benefit of the existent and potential customers?
People inherently understand the value of a good
after-sales service. Imaginarium's core mission is to
drive businesses to achieve their best through our
solutions which we offer consultations for. Our key
success factor has been our offerings of expert
advice, technical problem solving and hands-on
training on the machine and technology equipment.
We insist on customized solutions for our
consumers depending on their understanding of the
technology they are looking for, giving them an idea
of how effectively they'll be able to use it to their
advantage.
Lastly do you foresee a big role played by
educational meets and seminars on the subject of
"Customer Support" for the tech and machinery
sector to make it a more structured segment that
in turn will bring in goodwill towards the
principals?
Education is a powerful weapon for any change that
has to occur. Dissemination of knowledge on
customer support for technology and machinery
will be the most effective way of creating awareness
about it and will indefinitely bring more structure to
the area.