Chapter 16: Quality Management 549 products, or not at their desks for a variety of reasons. What else might cause this problem?" Ravi: "Perhaps we need to have more knowledge of Ravi: "I get irritated at some customers who spend our products." a great deal of time complaining about a problem that I Tim: "Well, I think we've covered most of the major cannot do anything about except refer to someone else. Of reasons as to why many customers have to wait. It seems to course, I listen and sympathize with them, but this eats up me that we have four major reasons: the phones are short- a lot of time." staffed, the receiving party is not present, the customer LaMarr: "Some customers call so often, they think we're dominates the conversation, and you may not understand long-lost friends and strike up a personal conversation." the customer's problem. We need to collect some informa- Tim: "That's not always a bad thing, you realize." tion next about these possible causes. I will set up a data- collection sheet that you can use to track some of these LaMarr: "Sure, but it delays my answering other calls." Nancy: "It's not always the customer's fault. During things. Mark, would you help me on this?" Over the next two weeks, the staff collected data on the lunch times, we're not all available to answer the phone." frequency of reasons why some callers had to wait: Ravi: "Right after we open at 9:00 a.m., we get a rush of calls. I think that many of the delays are caused by these peak periods." Reason Total Number Robin: "I've noticed the same thing between 4:00 and A. Operators short-staffed 172 B. Receiving party not present 73 5:00 p.m." C. Customer dominates conversation 19 Tim: "I've had a few comments from department man- D. Lack of operator understanding 61 agers that they received routed calls that didn't fall in their E. Other reasons 10 areas of responsibility and had to be transferred again." Mark: "But that doesn't cause delays at our end." Nancy: "That's right, Mark, but I just realized that sometimes I simply don't understand what the customer's problem really is. I spend a lot of time trying to get him or her to explain it better. Often, I have to route it to someone because other calls are waiting."Welz Business Machines W elz Business Machines Tim: "This is a seri- sells and services a ous problem; how a variety of copiers, computers, customer phone inquiry and other office equipment. is answered is the first The company receives many impression the customer calls daily for service, sales, receives from us. As you accounting, and other depart- know, this company was ments. All calls are handled founded on efficient and centrally through customer friendly service to all our service representatives and JGI/Blend Images/Jupiterimages customers. It's obvious routed to other individuals why customers have to as appropriate. A number of wait: you're on the phone customers have complained with another customer. about long waits when calling Can you think of any rea- for service. A market research study found that custom- sons that might keep you on the phone for an unnecessarily ers become irritated if the call is not answered within five long time?" rings. Scott Welz, the company president, authorized the Robin: "I've noticed that quite often the party I need customer service department manager, Tim, to study this to route the call to is not present. It takes time to transfer problem and find a method to shorten the call-waiting the call and then wait to see if it is answered. If the party is time for its customers. not there, I end up apologizing and have to transfer the call Tim met with the service representatives to attempt to to another extension." determine the reasons for long waiting times. The following Tim: "You're right, Robin. Sales personnel often are out conversation ensued: of the office for sales calls, absent on trips to preview new