If you have read right through this book, you have discovered that behind something as simple as a USD is a complex world of pain… This book is not an instruction manual but a book about the different ingredients required and how these ingredients interact. It is up to you to assess which parts apply to your own situation. There are examples, tips and practical advice, but in the end you need to decide for yourself what will or will not work in your own environment.
An important feature of enterprises is their interaction with customers. This interaction has become increasingly complex over the years. Significantly, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain individual contact with customers because enterprises have become substantially larger. Just think of the development of the grocer on the corner, to the supermarket in the district to the hypermarkets in France. Customers were recognised as having individual needs and consequently, increasing thought was given to creating systems for improving the relationships between customers and enterprises.
The purpose of these systems was to make complex relationships simple and intuitive for customers. By providing the system as an interface, the enterprise’s actual internal complexity can be mitigated for customers. A very simple interface is the button in the elevator, or the receptionist who greets the visitor and directs them. The telephone exchange is an interface both in terms of technology and staffing. An interface can therefore be purely technical or purely human.
As service departments continue to develop into demand-oriented organisations, the need for a good interface between the internal customer and the various back offices has increased. The interaction between customer and service support became increasingly complex due to multiple processes. As the services and facilities organisation outsourced more and more services such as IT, HR, cleaning, catering and security, the different contacts between customers and the different parties increased. Although the customer had less need for different contact points, the number of ‘counters’ increased. To ameliorate this situation, the idea of the USD was developed as a single entry for enquiries and requests.
The USD is an interface that streamlines the customer demand for services based on the front office to back office principle. In its simplest form, the USD answers this demand in the form of information; in a more developed form, the USD takes over the customer request and ensures that it is resolved through one or more processes in the back office.
A service organisation’s USD can be arranged in many ways. Some enterprises choose to make a central information number available, while others provide a number for external customers and a number for internal customers (or any combination of numbers fronted by increasingly long and annoying menu selections). Some enterprises offer a complete ‘service plaza’, supplemented by an intranet site and account management. The reasons for this are diverse, in many cases the current USD has grown through ‘trial-and-error’. Sometimes good thought has been given to the requested products and services, the desired level of service, necessary cost reduction or even the data needed to provide better services.
Consider the USD as a concept that comprises a service site on the intranet (the virtual USD), the call centre functionality (telephone, email and post), physical contact points (one or more service counters) and account management.
Considering the USD as a concept has several advantages. In the first place, freedom arises to think about the logic of the layout and function. In the second place, the discussion is separated from departmental interests. After all, the purpose of a USD has to do with the customer need for easier access to the products and services. In the third place, this approach makes the translation of the one-stop shop idea into concrete results easier. The point is that a customer is optimally helped by the logic of the service. This means that an ICT help desk and facility USD may fall under one management but are physically separated and have two separate telephone numbers. Time and again the right mix of components of a USD has to be used for the best possible service. Fourthly, considering the USD as a concept allows management to assess the individual components of a USD within their context, in relation to the desired USD target within the enterprise. This also drives the decision that sometimes only a virtual USD is chosen, while another enterprise will opt for all distribution channels.
The explanation of the USD as a concept fits in well with the world of senior management. The discussion about the interaction between customer and enterprise is well known to many project managers, and service managers have big plans for the design and development of the USD. But soon three things become clear.
In the first place, an important step is easily skipped: thinking and formulating the mission and the objectives. Once these have been established, they will often have consequences for the design of the USD. Not enough attention is paid to this first step in many cases.
Secondly, general management often has different ideas than those of the service/facility management team. It is important to be clear about expectations and mandate, otherwise this will lead to unpleasant surprises.
Thirdly, it is important that general management realises that the objectives for the new USD will not be achieved immediately. In addition, they should understand that important requirements can also be imposed, such as higher competencies or more capacity (i.e. more costs), or a radical renovation or a change in mandate, i.e. a change in the balance of power.
After the objectives have been determined and they have been endorsed by general management, inventories can be made of both the offered products and services and the needs of customers within the enterprise. However, the experience of the customers is completely different from that of the employees of the service organisation. A customer speaks about a meeting for training, not about the need for a room for a whole day with IT set-up, projector, coffee and tea, and which also needs to be cleaned in advance (and afterwards), or to register a new employee. The USD is the designated organisational unit that can translate the demands for a range of activities. In the more developed role of the USD, the customer demand is actually disconnected from the underlying process within the back office.
By managing customer demand, another advantage is created. Customer questions are generally specific in nature. The decoupling creates the possibility to standardise partial services, products or components, so that efficiency gains can be realised.
John Lennon’s song works for USDs as well: ultimately, all parts of the USD must “come together” within an enterprise. However, the extent to which the different parts can be brought together depends on many factors. These include how the various components are implemented, how the quality of service is determined and how far the authority of the USD extends (is it just an information desk or does it also control the handling process?). It also depends on where the account management function is positioned and whether it is integrated within the USD, the capacity of the USD, and so on.
Once all of these myriad issues have been contemplated, the construction of the USD can begin. The design can be realised, for which various activities are started such as building a service site on the intranet, creating a physical location, installing and implementing systems and staffing the USD organisation.
It is advisable to think about how and at what speed the implementation of the USD takes shape. Implement the ideas and tools that you need from this book. Maintain focus on the way in which your internal clients are addressed, the speed at which matters are handled, possible developments within and outside the enterprise and the expansion of digital possibilities.
Keep in mind that the classical boundaries of enterprises are fading through technological innovations, cultural changes and globalisation. This may mean a greater ambition and therefore a different interpretation of the USD.
Therefore, the USD is an important tool in a customer-oriented, or better, demand-oriented service/facility organisation. Relatively small adjustments to the accessibility and functioning of a USD do wonders. They contribute to a positive image of the service/facilities organisation.
Above all, service to customers (internal or external) is improved. This leads to efficiencies and greater customer satisfaction. And after all, that is the ultimate goal of the USD.