7 Types of After Sales Service to keep your Customer Satisfied
The concept of
after sales service is as important as sales. While it does not generate any
revenue for the company, it surely does increase the goodwill of the organization
in the market and
amongst the customers.
After sales
service is very important to not only retain the customers but also to bring
back lost customers. After sales service could be defined as the
processes which are followed post the sale of the product. The nature of the services includes maintenance,
guidance, repair etc.
The nature of
after sales service depends entirely on the industry and the product. While
some may require installation, others may require cleaning every couple of
months.
7 most common types of after sales
service
1) Pre-Installation services
Whenever
a product is bought it comes with a manual for installation. Depending on the
nature of the product the installation may vary. While some products have
very specific installation steps other products are customer friendly. Products
like a ceiling fan, air conditioner, washing machine etc. require technical
expertise for installation other products like mobile phones does not.
Providing free pre-installation is one of the after sales services.
Most
of the companies provide this for free of cost where very few companies may
charge. Providing good installation services starts in the customer and customer
service relations on a good note.
Industrial machinery, electric household items, Copier machines, require
technical expertise installation. Providing a demonstration is also a part of
installation wherein the customer service team install the product and
demonstrate the functions of the product.
2) User training
Training
of the end user is another part of after sales service. In the case of
industrial machinery, this is a very crucial part. Even in case of surgical
equipment’s which are used in the operation theatres, it is very essential that
the doctor has to get trained on the machine. It is very essential that user
training is provided propositions user is going to be handling the product.
3) Warranty services
This is perhaps the most common type of
after sales service provided by almost every company for almost every product.
Warranty services include repairing replacement of selected parts for a
selected period of time. For example, Apple provides
complete care of iPhone for a period of one year from the date of purchase.
That is included in the Apple care. Customers have the option of extending the
warranty by purchasing Apple care before the end of the
official warranty.
In some cases, there could be selective
warranty services like After sales service of the air conditioner. Many
companies offer free repair and service for one year from the date of purchase
but they charge if there is a replacement of any plastic components,
Similarity television will have a
warranty of about 5 years but the remote of the television with having only
year warranty of 1 or 2 years depending on the company.
In such a way different companies have
different policies for their products. Warranty services are perhaps the best
types of after sales service. Some companies provide a service of extended warranty wherein the customer can
pay a little extra and get the warranty extended for a limited duration.
Extended warranty is useful in the case of electronics.
4) Online support
E-Commerce companies
have started providing online support for any of the product related queries.
There is a dedicated helpline for customer service wherein the grievance
redressal mechanism is carried out according to the standard procedure of the
company. The customer may call the online support or chat as per his comfort,
discuss the problem and get it resolved.
Online support is very effective for
software services and laptop support. The customer service can share the screen
and resolve the problem immediately in most of the cases
5) Return / Replacement
For a Limited period of time companies
provide free replacement of the product in case of any queries. However, this
is with certain terms and conditions. In some cases, replacement may be of the
entire device, or in other cases, replacement may be only of the defective
part.
In case of returns, the product is
returned to the company and the customer is issued with either the store credit
or replaced product or the amount is refunded. The rules may vary according to
the company.
For example, Amazon provides
returns for almost all products but a replacement for the limited products.
6) Features and benefits
One of the Types of after sales service,
some companies provide additional features for example replacement of a part
for a lifetime, for free counselling for the entire duration of the product. A
perfect example of this would be when Google provided free unlimited storage of
photos on Google photos for all the pixel devices.
However, this comes with the condition
of the free storage extending to a limited time. Similarly, Apple provides
exchange or upgrade of old mobile phones with new mobile phones in the US.
Storage devices like Western digital
that provided a lifetime warranty for the external hard disks. If for any
reason, the hard disks are corrupted they are replaced for free of cost if
within the limit.
7) Upgrades
This usually works with software and
electronics. Upgrading a software for the device for a limited period is one of
the Types of After sales service followed by companies. The upgrades are for a
limited time owing to the fact that the hardware remains the same throughout
the years and it may not be compatible to run new software after a period of
time.
For
example, Apple follows the policy of providing Over-The-Air (OTA) upgrades for
iOS software’s for about 4-5 years, a post which the upgrades stop. The
customer may still use their devices but it won’t be supported by the latest
software.
Same
is followed in the case of Android phones.
The mobiles get the software upgrade for a few years – depending on the model –
a post which, the upgradation stops. This is also considered a great marketing strategy to
ensure regular upgradation of phones by customers.
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