Solve the Problem or Deal with the Adversity? This is a classic managerial decision making dilemma. A simple task like asking a customer how he feels about a product, service, or pricing arrangement might seem like the best way to deal with the problem, but in actuality, it is often better to deal with the problem itself-the difficulty. Often, if we deal with the problem directly, we can solve it more easily and find another solution that will work better.
In fact, the very art of problem solving is related to finding a solution. In fact, this is one of the hallmarks of the discipline known as problem solving. The trouble with many management courses is that they spend so much time on the theory side of things and less time on learning practical skills. There is a big difference between theory and practice, and a good manager must be able to recognize problems before they become unmanageable. Problem solving is a fundamental part of managing.
A solver may come in many forms. In business terms, a solver is someone who finds a solution to a particular problem. At its most basic level, a solver finds an intractable problem, i.e., one that cannot be solved within a reasonable amount of time and at a reasonable price. Sometimes, a solver may not even know why a problem exists-why a customer is dissatisfied and what can be done to resolve it.
The purpose of the situation is not to make you feel bad about yourself or to avoid you from taking action. It is to show you that there is no easy solution. In business, it is very hard to identify an easy to resolve problem. Often, the only way to show a customer that there is an easy and affordable solution is to show them that it is already fixed. If the solution cannot be demonstrated in a reasonable amount of time and at an affordable price, it is not worth the effort.
A solver might also be helpful if your company is small. Since problems are unique to each customer, it is often more efficient to hire a single person with extensive experience solving problems to solve the problems of the entire organization. This ensures that every customer is satisfied with the products and services that are provided for them. This type of customer service is especially important if your company offers customized products and services that require innovative solutions to particular problems.
The cost of implementing customer satisfaction measures is not something that you should ignore. There is nothing worse than spending a lot of time implementing a plan that proves to be ineffective. You might spend a lot of money hiring the right people to implement these measures. The problem with this approach is that it could take years to implement and may not be cost effective over the long term. Instead of spending a great deal of money on implementing your plan, you might be better off to delegate the task to an expert at an hourly rate. The cost of installing a solver could easily be offset by the savings realized when customers report being satisfied with the services and products that are provided to them.
If you decide that it is worth it to implement a customer satisfaction initiative, you might want to use a solver as well. You could pay a consultant a fee to come up with suitable solutions to specific problems. Since you can install the software yourself, you will not have to worry about hiring the right consultant. In fact, you can implement all of the measures without having to pay a single penny.
A solver can prove to be very valuable in tracking customer satisfaction efforts. The tools are easy to use and are relatively inexpensive. Plus, they can help you quickly identify the most useful solutions to any problems that your customers are experiencing. A solver can save you a great deal of time, energy, and money as you try to improve your overall customer experience. Implementing a customer satisfaction initiative is something that every business should consider.
