In todayâs hyper-competitive market, surviving as a business that only sells hardware or âtinâ is a challenge that many companies fail to overcome. The era of box droppers is rapidly fading, replaced by a demand for service-centric strategies that prioritize the customer experience over mere product delivery. This evolution marks a shift from a product strategy to a service strategy, where the real value lies not in the hardware but in the services, tools, and teachings that accompany it.
The Death of Tin | Why Product Alone Isnât Enough
Let's face itâhardware is everywhere, manufactured in sweat factories across the globe and sold at prices that are as cheap as chips. If your business is built solely on selling hardware, your days are numbered. The market is flooded with products, and the only way to stand out is by offering something more. That âmoreâ is a comprehensive service that transforms a piece of hardware into a complete solution.
Service Without Limits | A Vision Ahead of Its Time
Back in 1995, I worked for a company that understood this concept long before it became a buzzword. The company was Madge Networks, and they coined the term âSupport Without Limits.â Today, I prefer to call it âService Without Limits,â a philosophy that encapsulates the following principles:
Customers are supported and engaged: This isnât just about solving problems; itâs about building relationships.
As long as it takes: Service doesnât have an expiration date. Youâre there for your customers, no matter how long it takes.
Never drop the ball: Consistency is key. Your customers need to know that they can rely on you.
Donât wait for the customer to call you: Proactivity in service is essential. Anticipate needs before they arise.
Sell services, not just products: The value is in the experience, not the hardware.
Create synergy between applications & communications: Integration is critical. Your service should seamlessly fit into your customerâs ecosystem.
Deliver uncapped service: Just like uncapped broadband, your service should have no limits.
People, Not Customers | The Human Element of Service
One of the most significant shifts in service-centric support is the recognition that youâre not dealing with customersâyouâre dealing with people. These people have names, needs, and expectations. They arenât just numbers in a database or accounts in a CRM system; theyâre your friends and acquaintances in the business world. Long-term relationships with customers should be nurtured, not taken for granted. After all, these are the people who ultimately pay your salary, not your grumpy boss.
Lessons from Kodak | The Cost of Ignoring Service
Remember Kodak? A giant in the product world, they were innovators who unfortunately didnât pivot to a service-centric model in time. They created the digital cameraâa product so revolutionary that it killed their film business. But Kodak didnât die because their products were inferior; they died because they failed to offer the service that their customers really needed. If they had focused on delivering the experience of storing memories, rather than just selling film, they might still be here today.
Brand, Simplicity, and Ecosystem | The New Business Model
In a service-centric world, your brand is not just your company nameâitâs the experience you offer. Companies like Apple excel at delivering a simple, yet sophisticated message through their brand. When your service is clear, simple, and unique, it resonates with your customers (or should I say, friends).
Doing business is about building an ecosystem, not operating in isolation. Your service must be sticky enough that your friends keep coming back for more. This requires co-opting internal and external players into your business team to deliver a cohesive, comprehensive solution. And forget about the term âvalue-addedââif you have to say you add value, then youâre probably just a box dropper.
In todayâs digital age, engaging your customers through social media is no longer optionalâitâs essential. The phone is becoming as outdated as the telegram, and the fax machine has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Yet, many businesses still see social media as merely a marketing tool, missing its potential as a platform for resolving problems and delivering service.
In South Africa, the technology website MyBroadband started as a community forum, where people could engage in discussions about broadband. This community aspect has immense power. Instead of dismissing these communities, businesses should embrace them. They are an extension of your service team, providing support, engagement, and problem-solving in real-time.
The Reality of Poor Service | A Personal Account
Service-centric support is not just a buzzwordâit's a necessity for businesses that want to thrive in today's market. But what happens when service fails spectacularly? Iâve had my share of poor service experiences, but one that stands out is my time in a hospital for a Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, a procedure I had hoped would finally end my chronic reflux issues.
The Operation | Not Quite What I Expected
The surgeon assured me that the procedure was routine. I imagined I'd be in and out of the hospital, with nothing but a few small puncture marks to show for it. However, I woke up feeling like I had been run over by a bus. The pain was intense, and I quickly realized Iâd be spending more time in that hospital bed than I had anticipated.
A Miserable Stay
The hospital experience was far from what I expected. My ward mate couldnât stop talking about his own operationâon his anus, no less. I tried to drown him out by watching TV, only to find that the TVs were relics from the 80s, small cathode ray tubes bolted to the ceiling. The sound quality was equally dismal, with headsets that refused to stay on. I finally gave up, thanks in no small part to the cocktail of painkillers that knocked me out.
A Struggle to Leave
When the doctor gave me the green light to leave the next day, I was overjoyedâuntil the nurse told me I couldnât leave until I had a bowel movement. I waited, hoping to be discharged soon, but nothing happened. The nurse offered a laxative, which I accepted, thinking it would speed things up. What followed was a desperate race to the toilet, dragging a decrepit drip trolley behind me. I barely made it in time, only to realize the lights in the toilet were off. In my panic, I hit the first switch I saw, which turned out to be the nurse's call bell. I finally made my way back to the bed, ready to leave this nightmare behind.
The Final Insult | A Pointless Survey
Before I could leave, the hospital handed me a customer service survey. I rated everything a 1 and wrote in the comments, "KAK SLEG!"âwhich, if youâre curious, you can look up. The next day, the hospital called, concerned about my ratings. I gave them a list of reasonable suggestions: update the TVs and headsets, replace the drip trolleys, install proper lighting in the toilets, and maybe do something about the chatty patients. They thanked me and hung up.
A Year Later | Nothing Had Changed
A year later, I found myself back at the same hospital with my mum. I noticed that nothing had changed. The TVs, headsets, drip trolleys, and toilets were exactly the same. It was as if my feedback had fallen into a black hole. It was a stark reminder that customer service doesnât always exist in the way weâd like to believe it does.
Service Without Limits | What It Really Means
My experience at the hospital reinforced my belief that service-centric support is crucial. It's not just about having a product or serviceâit's about ensuring that every interaction with your customers, or "friends" as I prefer to call them, is a positive one. When businesses ignore feedback and fail to act on reasonable suggestions, they miss out on an opportunity to improve and build lasting relationships.
The lesson here? Donât be like that hospital. If youâre serious about service, donât just ask for feedbackâact on it. Because if you donât, your customers will eventually find someone who will.
Wrap | Evolve or Perish
The future of business lies in service-centric support. The companies that will thrive are those that understand the importance of moving beyond products to offer comprehensive, integrated services that create lasting relationships with their customers. This shift requires a new mindsetâone that sees customers as friends, products as part of a larger service ecosystem, and service as the cornerstone of business success.
Embrace the change, or risk becoming obsolete, like so many great product companies before you.
Ronald Bartels ensures that Internet inhabiting things are connected reliably online at Nepean Networks - the leading specialized SD-WAN provider in South Africa. Learn more about the best SD-WAN provider in the world! đ Contact Nepean
