Providers and Customers Where you stand depends on where you sit David J. Ernst--CIO California State University System EDUCAUSE Enterprise Technology.

Providers and CustomersProviders and Customers

Where you stand depends on Where you stand depends on where you sitwhere you sit

David J. Ernst--CIODavid J. Ernst--CIO

California State University SystemCalifornia State University System

EDUCAUSE Enterprise Technology Conference May 25, 2006Chicago, Illinois

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Providers and CustomersProviders and Customers

Where you stand depends on where you sitWhere you stand depends on where you sit

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 33

OutlineOutline

• The Challenge• Service—What and Why• Who are Our Customers?• Roles and Generations• Service Performance Framework and

Assessment• What Can We Do To Improve?• Overview and Summary

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The IT Service Challenge

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IT IT andand Service or IT Service or IT vs.vs. Service? Service?

• We “got religion” on customer service in late ’80’s and early 90’s

• Lots of lip service has been paid to how “IT is here to help”

• Have we improved the way our customers view and regard us?

• Have we improved the way we view and regard out customers?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 66

Service—What and Why?

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What is service ?What is service ?

• What do you think?

• Service is……

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What is service ?What is service ?

• Examples :Bank, local government, self-service

• Within the organization– Up– Out– Down

• Managing and meeting the customers expectations• Are expectations getting higher?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 99

What is service ?What is service ?“The activities needed to support customer interactions

before, during, and after the purchase of products. “McGraw-Hill Online Learning Center

“A function of an organization that interacts with customers, e.g. respond to inquires or complaints. Can also describe the positive attitude of an organization towards its client base, and taking active steps (as opposed to always Reacting) to improve product or service delivery. “

Home-based Business Manual

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Why does service matter ?Why does service matter ?

• Why does it matter at your institution?

• Why does it matter in your department?

• Why does it matter to you?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1111

Why does service matter ?Why does service matter ?

In higher education:

• Competition

• Shrinking government funding

• Students paying higher fees and charges

• Increasing focus on responsiveness, accountability and quality

• Educational outcomes

On a personal basis:

•Good service will help me “get ahead”

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1212

What inhibits an organization's What inhibits an organization's ability to be service-oriented?ability to be service-oriented?

• Complex organizational structure• Attitude – it’s not my job!• Attitude – the customer is ‘stupid’• Lack of trained and empowered staff• Failure to understand customer needs• Difficult customers• Poor communication

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1313

Who Are Our Customers?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1414

Who are our customers ?Who are our customers ?

• Identify a key customer group?

• What service(s) do you provide?

• What are their expectations?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1515

Who are our customers ?Who are our customers ?External:• Students –undergrad, grad, new students, highly IT literate

and not • Faculty and academic staff – teaching, research• Management – Deans, Dept Chairs, Sr Exec• Other staff – admin, IT support in Faculties, customer

facing

Internal:• ITS or unit management• Other IT teams• Service Desk

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1616

Customers by Role

Customers by Generation

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Customers by RoleCustomers by Role

• Faculty• Staff• Student• Alumni• General public• Boss• Peer• Subordinate

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1818

Getting to Know the Generations Getting to Know the Generations We ServeWe Serve

• Traditionalists: Born pre 1946– Patriotic, loyal, fiscally conservative, faith in

institutions

• Baby Boomers: Born 1946—1964– Idealistic, competitive, questions authority,

desire to put own stamp on things, sandwiched, challenge institutions

Based on presentation by Lynne Lancaster of Bridgeworks

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 1919

Getting to Know the Generations Getting to Know the Generations We ServeWe Serve

• Generation X: Born 1965—1981– Eclectic, resourceful, self-reliant, distrust

institutions, highly adaptive to both change and technology

• Millennials: Born 1982—2000– Globally concerned, integrated, realistic,

pragmatic, cyber-literate, media savvy, environmentally conscious

Based on presentation by Lynne Lancaster of Bridgeworks

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2020

Service for Gen X and MillennialsService for Gen X and Millennials

• Unforgiving about poor customer service

• Expect service 7X24

• Prepared to negotiate service relationship

• Quality is very important, but can’t ID it

• Prefer on-line or phone business

Based on Center for Generational Studies Robert Wendover presentation

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2121

Service for Gen X and MillennialsService for Gen X and Millennials

• Know that if you don’t ask, you don’t get

• Work the system to obtain needs/desires

• Careful observers of policy vs. practice differences

• Constant communication with others provides high consumer awareness


May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2222

What Has Been Your Experience?What Has Been Your Experience?

• Have generational differences affected your service delivery?

• Have these differences affected your customer satisfaction ratings?

• Let’s take a look at the generational impact on service criteria

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2323

Service Criteria for X’ers and Service Criteria for X’ers and MillennialsMillennials

• Accessibility– Available 7X24?– Someone always answers the phone?– How long will I wait on hold?

• Meets Technology Expectations– Menu driven?– Helpful links to products and services?– Can get answers without speaking to someone?Based on Center for Generational Studies Robert Wendover presentation

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2424


• Anticipates customer needs– Predicted what can go wrong and prepared

solutions in advance?

• Simple to use– How many steps does it take?– Is customer being fit into provider’s system or

the other way around?


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• Empathy– Are reps friendly?– Does customer feel “handled?”– Are instructions user friendly?– Does customer feel like provider understands

needs and problems?


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• Delivers desired outcome– Does the customer get what he/she wants?– How hard does the customer have to work for

good service?– Is there a folllow up once the solution is

offered?


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Service Performance—

A Framework and Some Assessment

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The Balanced ScorecardThe Balanced Scorecard

Developed by Kaplan and Norton (Harvard Business School)

Four measures of success:

• Financial

• Internal Business Processes

• Learning and Growth (employee)

• Clients

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 2929

I.T.Infrastructure Library (ITIL) I.T.Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Service Level Managementand Service Level Management

“The goal for SLM is to maintain and improve IT service quality through a constant cycle of agreeing, monitoring and reporting on IT service achievements and instigation of actions to eradicate poor service – in line with business or cost justification.”

United Kingdom’s Office of Government Commerce

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3030

ITIL and Service Level ITIL and Service Level ManagementManagement

• Service Catalog• Service Level Agreements for each

service• Key performance indicators• Ongoing review (and negotiation) to

improve• IT effort is aimed at those areas the

institution believes are most important !

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3131

What Are We Using Today?What Are We Using Today?

• Are you using any kind of formal service framework and, if so, what?

• Have you employed Balanced Scorecard?

• What about service level agreements?– Do they work to maintain service quality?

• Surveys and focus group techniques

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3232

Recent Survey In CSU Hits HomeRecent Survey In CSU Hits Home

• Survey done last year• Campuses asked to rate service of Chancellors

Office system wide IT services• Part of Business and Finance performance

measurement/quality improvement• Satisfied/Very satisfied = +• Dissatisfied/Very dissatisfied = -• Remaining % = neutral/don’t know

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3333

How satisfied are you with:How satisfied are you with:

• Provision, maintenance, upgrade of campus IT infrastructure?– 76% = +– 12% = -

• Support of academic technologies and project supporting learning process?– 48% = +– 19% = -

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• Stewardship and effective management of central resources for campus benefit?– 59% = +– 12% = -

• Development of appropriate IT policies and procedures?– 59% = +– 13% = -

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3535


• Assistance with developing IT security practices, policies and procedures?– 56% = +– 18% = -

• Support and assistance for campus ERP development, maintenance and ops?– 52% = +– 21% = -

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3636

What Can We Do To Improve?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3737

What Are We Doing to Improve What Are We Doing to Improve Service Today?Service Today?

• Training• Constant communication• Setting customer expectations• Performance measurement

– Balanced scorecard– Customer satisfaction surveys

• What else?• Some simple rules from a service provider

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3838

Communication—Help Desk Communication—Help Desk Software is a Good MetaphorSoftware is a Good Metaphor

• Ticket opened—client notified

• Statement of prob—client notified

• Wrong problem—provider notified

• Progress made—client notified

• Ticket closed—client notified

• Problem not solved—provider notified

Courtesy Clarke Sanford, CSU Bakersfield

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 3939

Minimize HandoffsMinimize Handoffs

• Clients hate being shuffled around

• Don’t hand client off unless absolutely necessary

• If must hand off, make sure new provider is fully briefed

• Follow up with provider and then client


May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4040

Own the Customer’s ProblemOwn the Customer’s Problem

• Good service is essentially a one on one proposition—you and the customer

• Make the customer believe their problem is now your problem

• Make customer follow up a way of life


May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4141

Track ProblemsTrack Problems

• On going tracking is a must using software if available

• Essential to letting customer know status of problem fix and who’s working on it

• Stay on top of problems that are taking a long time to resolve


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On Going AssessmentOn Going Assessment

• Make on going assessment a part of your service culture

• Not a tool for staff discipline, but for service improvement

• A good candidate for use of balanced scorecard process


May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4343

Don’t Make Fun of ClientsDon’t Make Fun of Clients

• Avoid telling the horror stories about “problem clients”

• Discourage this among staff and set the right example

• Joking about certain clients undercuts a service culture and provides an excuse to justify poor service


May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4444

Communications PlanningCommunications Planning

• Key messages defined

• External and internal information needs assessed

• Short and long term needs identified

• Assign responsibilities for communications (and approval)

• Added into project plan and schedule

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4545

The big pictureThe big picture

Imbedding a service culture:• Use recognized frameworks e.g.,

Balanced Scorecard, Service Level Agreements with Key Performance Indicators

• Use software tools that enable tracking, escalation and reporting against targets

• Communications planning• Consultation

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Overview and Summary

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4747

SummarySummary

• If you expect your staff to deliver quality service, you must lead the way.

• You must walk the walk and talk the talk • Reward good service and good

communication• Implement good systems and processes• Support frontline staff

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4848

Key issues to take awayKey issues to take away

• Appreciate the needs of different groups of customers – do a client analysis

• Plan the communications

• Imbed customer service in a framework and build on it – don't let it stagnate

• Lead by example !

• Make everyone your customer

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 4949

What Were the Biggest IT Service What Were the Biggest IT Service Criticisms of the ’80’s and ’90’s?Criticisms of the ’80’s and ’90’s?

• IT is too secretive

• Too technology focused—Propeller heads reign

• Black box mentality

• IT knows what’s good for the client

Are we still looking through the wrong end of the telescope?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 5050

What are the Biggest Criticisms of What are the Biggest Criticisms of IT Service Today?IT Service Today?

• Most IT departments talk the “customer service” talk but still optimize on the provider’s point-of-view (the wrong end of the telescope)

• Other thoughts?

• What about our vendors—part of the solution or the problem?

May 25, 2006May 25, 2006 5151

Where you stand depends.. Where you stand depends.. on where you sit.on where you sit.

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Providers and Customers Where you stand depends on where you sit David J. Ernst--CIO California State University System EDUCAUSE Enterprise Technology.

Documents

service challenge slide

service matter

service delivery

service 7x24

good service

service criteria

generation slide

teams service desk slide