1. Partnership with customers

Main principles

• understanding the customer and the business model
• regular exchange of information with the customer

possible actions

• clearly defined and as few contact persons for the customer as possible
• regular personal customer visits
• regular phone contact with the customer
• company visits with the customer
• customer information electronically deposited

2. Network capabilities

Main principles

• Search systematically for network partners on the basis of goals and criteria
• promote active exchange with network partners
• maintain personal contact with network partners

possible actions

• define goals of cooperation in advance
• verify references of potential service partners
• attend events such as network meetings, fairs, etc.
• appear together with service partner, e.g. on the homepage

3. Corporate culture

Main principles

• define long-term thinking as a core business value
• establish "good services" as part of the organizational culture
• promote mutual support in the company to create optimal customer solutions

possible actions

• define values in written form
• include employees in the process of defining values
• offer training in the area of customer- and service orientation

4. Organizational structure

Main principles

• adjust organizational structure to company- and service strategy
• separate the organization of the service business and the product business
• enable conditions for good collaboration between the product division and the service division
• create physical proximity to the customer
• promote good international cooperation

possible actions

• define clearly responsibilities for each service
• define clear responsibilities within the various departments

5. Pricing of services

Main principles

• Services are not offered for free
• free services are only offered for free to reach a strategically important goal
• know the competitors´prices and take them into account for own pricing
• use strategic goals in the service business as a basis for pricing

possible actions

• check which service cannot be billed for currently
• charge for preliminary work separately
• quantify the customer´s monetary benefit
• note costs for individual services in the CRM-system
• account for free services and their regular price on the invoice, even if the service is free of charge
• mention free services in customer meetings

6. Sales capabilities for services

Main principles

• empathic salespeople
• technically competent salespeople with technical experience
• flexible salespeople
• service technician initiating sale
• intercultural competence

possible actions

• technical training for salespeople
• decision-making scope for salespeople
• apply value-based selling techniques and offer corresponding training
• develop material showing the value of individual services to the customer
• sales training for service technicians

7. Service orientation of management and strategy

Main principles

• embed services in the business strategy
• promote service-oriented conduct
• managers are role models in service-oriented conduct

possible actions

• develop a clear service strategy
• regular meetings to review the service strategy´s progress
• actively communicate the service strategy to the employees

8. Risk assessment and key performance indicators for services

Main principles

• implement active risk management in the service division
• define key performance indicators for the service division

possible actions

• analyse commercial risks
• analyse operative risks
• check risks and profitability of individual customers
• check risks and profitability of individual services
• check risks and profitability of individual orders
• check KPIs for every company location
• define a person responsible for monitoring and evaluating KPIs

9. Service processes

Main principles

• promote active, inter-divisional cooperation (e.g. by joint meetings, exchange sessions)
• promote open, inter-divisional communication
• optimize processes for a swift response to customer enquiries

possible actions

• develop guidelines and checklists for service staff
• simplify and standardise processes

10. Individualisation and standardisation

Main principles

• design of services to be adapted to customer`s preferences
• offer standardised modules if individualisation is uneconomic

possible actions

• higher prices for individualised solutions
• customised solutions only if these are economical or of strategic value
• offer modularised services
• reuse or adapt already developed solutions

11. Assessment of service quality

Main principles

• customers´ feedback as a starting point for improvement of the service quality
• develop and implement concrete suggestions for improvement

possible actions

• measure customer satisfaction on a regular basis, e.g. by phone, electronically
• Seek feedback at customer meetings
• define employees responsible for evaluating customer feedback
• pass feedback on to employee involved
• keep track of mistakes and complaints

12. Service innovation

Main principles

• develop a structured service innovation process

possible actions

• integrate employees from different divisions into the process
• take into account the complete customer life cycle
• pick up on customer ideas
• actively integrate customers into the development of services