Customer service

It is common knowledge that it costs more to get new customers than to keep old ones. It takes a phenomenal amount of time to get in the door and establish a relationship with the customer. It only takes a second to upset the customer and lose him forever. It is a constant battle to manage the customer’s expectation and deliver above the bar to delight him. The Holy Grail is "customer loyalty" as they continue to trust in your name, or "brand loyalty." In fact, when a corporate buyer looks at a company, he looks at the customers’ list and tries to analyze what he can do to retain the customers and to figure out what other services he can provide this customer base.

In my past columns, I have written about good and bad customer service. It is so easy to write about bad customer experiences (I have to admit, it is very satisfying!) and I am sure if I ask you, my readers, to send in your stories that I would get reams. However, I want to challenge you and me to write about positive customer experiences. I want you to send me stories where the little person on the frontline delighted your buying experience, enough that you would buy from them again. Maybe in our small way, we can be a positive impact to the frontline folks and encourage them (actually their bosses) that excellent customer service is the only way for the company to survive.

My Two Cents: My friends, please help me celebrate the frontline customer server by sending me your stories of positive experiences.

* * * SIM card as national ID et al

In a recent economic briefing at the TDG (Transnational Diversified Group, a shareholder of DFNN), Professor Tommy Lopez of the Asian Institute of Management shared his observations on how we can take advantage of the ubiquity of the cellphone to answer some of our otherwise inefficient processes.

Since penetration of the cellphone in our society is so prevalent, he observed that it might not take too long nor cost too much to convert the SIM card into a national ID. Juan de la Cruz would now be known as [email protected] or [email protected]. Of course, there would be issues like who controls the number and how we can prevent identity theft. I thought it was a great idea nonetheless.

In the US, the TIN (Tax ID) and SSS number are the same and used in almost all legal transactions. I wonder when they will figure it out that your driver’s license and passport number should be integrated as well.

Another observation he had was how transactions are now being coursed through the SIM card. You can now use your phone to pay your bills. What if your employer will now only top up your SIM card and you use your cellphone to buy things? The implications are enormous if you let your thoughts roam. Just imagine, no more cash, no more credit cards that charge five percent to the merchant, no more ATMs that charge P8 for a withdrawal from a non-member ATM, no more processing of payroll checks, no more messengers. The role of the bank is changed, and the telephone company is now the bank as well. (Visions of SMART money?) What are the implications on the $8-billion OFW remittances?

My Two Cents: It may be a more efficient way to go, but we may have to wait a while. I imagine there will be quite a resistance from the banks, as the telcos start to encroach on their turf. What kind of infrastructure needs to be in place for us to buy using the SIM card?

* * * Transparency

In a recent report of Transparency International, a Berlin-based NGO focused on fighting corruption, the Philippines came in at 77 out of 102 countries surveyed. You can check out the report at http://www.transparency.org/pressreleases_archive/2002/2002.08.28.cpi.en.html.

In percentile terms, we are in the bottom 25 percent in terms of transparency. Finland is number 1, with the US coming in at 16. I wonder if Nokia needs another bean counter like me.

I have several suggestions on how to stop it but as my mama says…"If you can’t say something nice…"

I wonder if the Philippines’ sovereign debt and budget deficit would be this high were it not for corruption or as they euphemistically call it, "inefficiencies."

My Two Cents: To all of you inefficient officials out there, have pity on your countrymen! (Note: dear readers, please do not send me stories about bad officials, I want stories about good officials!)

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Dickson Co is CFO (C is for Cheap) of Dfnn, Intelligent Wave and HatchAsia. For comments or suggestions, e-mail at [email protected].