Customer Service and Research Skills
Introduction
NEC Australia a foreign-owned private company that derives its revenue from the sale of communication systems and equipment as well as providing the service of the voice and data communication. The company has employed more than 1500 people and is managed from its head office in Docklands, Victoria. NEC Australia is wholly owned by NEC Corporation, an information technology company that is based in Japan. The mission of the company is to be a leading global company that leverages the power of innovation to realize an information society that is friendly to the earth and humans. The vision of the company is to…. For the purpose of this report, the product to evaluate is the fingerprint biometric system that is offered by NEC.
The customers of NEC Australia include small to large firms as well as to individual businesses both in Australia and outside Australia. The company has described its local activities as provision of communication and information technology solutions and services in multi-vendor environments. The company has described the solutions and services that include ICT managed services, data network solutions, display solutions, software development, professional resources provision, unified communications and other complex communications. The success of the company has been informed by its customers. The company has invested in a robust as well as fluid customer experience strategy which is critical to securing external and internal customers.
The company is able to determine the need of the customers through various ways. Central to this strategy lies on the ability to interact with the customers across a variety of platforms as well as their willingness to explore and differentiate their services and products so that the company is different from other businesses in the competitive world of business. More so, NEC has been delivering standardized and customized solutions to customers which help build rapport with customer needs. Customers are also provided with the NECare Solutions platform to present their needs and views.
NEC uses various promotional strategies to advertise its products and services to customers. It has been using social media platforms as well as television advertisements. The company has used social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram among other platforms to market its products. These platforms have large followers and are effective as the company is able to engage the customers and understand their needs. More so, the company uses traditional means such as television ads to reach to large number of customers.
The company is keeping abreast with the changes in the market and especially with its promotional strategy. The company has increased its use of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook where it has significant followers. This has made the company increase its performance. In 2017 the company reported a loss of AU$19.3 million while in the financial year it reported a profit of $1.4 million after it had increased its campaign online and after it had restructured the business model and sending back the back office roles offshore.
The company provides services and products to various segments. It has divided its operations into various segments. One of the segment include IT applications and Solutions Development which targets customer service development, business intelligence and training and information management sectors. The other segment is the Display Solutions that target to provide sales and support of the projectors, signage and digital commercial displays. The other segment is that Radio Communications that provide digital TV transmitters and mobile access controller to the media industry. The other segment provides biometric solutions to security and surveillance industries. To meet the needs of the customers, the company provides flexible terms on each of its products and services. Customers are also able to communicate with the company through NECare Service Solutions about their needs.
Some of the needs that may not be met with the products provided by NEC include cybersecurity. This is so because cyber threats are on rise and will to certain extent depend on the risk management plans put forth by the customer to manage such risks that will often occur. Despite the fact that NEC would provide reliable products and services, threat from cyber-attacks is not far from reality and it is upon customers both large and small sized companies to put in place formidable plans to counter such attacks.
The alternative to fingerprint biometric system for security and surveillance include the eye scanner or the iris scanner, face recognition, voice recognition and one time password system. Iris scanner is widely considered to be faster and very accurate method of biometric identification and is able to capture someone’s eyes and maps the unique iris patter so that the identity of the person can be verified. The advantages of these alternatives are that they are able to improve the security and are more accurate, have reduced operational costs and helps in improving customer experience. The disadvantages with these biometric systems is that improper misuse may result to wrong details, likelihood that they may fail or breakdown and the prone to attacks from cyber threats.
If I was working for this company I would assist customers to look at certain features of the biometric systems such as the type of the biometric system they require, the price and the ease of use as well as its durability. These features are important as they would tell how effective the biometric system is likely to be. I would offer customers alternatives such as iris scanner and gait scanner.
I would put a customer’s service evaluation report by capturing their views and opinions to ensure that referrals for the product or service are relevant and matching to the needs of the customers. I would then use this report to ensure that the products of the company meet customer’s needs and provide an experience. This is vital as it would help design the product in way that effectively and efficiently meets customers’ needs.
I would participate in several events to ensure that I had an ongoing pipeline of referrals such as road shows and exhibitions, marketing trips and business trainings in other organizations. These would help build on the customer referrals as well as market the products of the company. Road shows and exhibitions help display the product to potential customers and make enquiries about the product.
To manage the satisfaction, security and confidentiality of the customers, there is need to talk to the clients in a private and soundproof place, keep communication books in a confidential place that is only accessible to authorized persons. Any information about customers that is never needed should also be destroyed such as through shredding that information in paperwork.
I would distribute this report to the company board of directors and to the employees. The board of directors would help in making better decisions while the employees would become informed of what gap exist in provision of the product provided by the company to its customers. I would also distribute this report to shareholders to come into reality as to the status of the company and the product it provides so as to necessitate any help that may be required from shareholders.
Conclusion
NEC is a customer centric corporation that has been able to understand the needs of the customers in an effective manner. The company gives a range of products to its customers. Its contracts are flexible and ranges from twelve months and five years and may be configured to suit the budget and business set up. More so, the company having understood the importance of the customer runs the NECare platform where customers are able to communicate their needs which are then attended at by the company. NEC also offers flexible, durable and effective services as well as affordable products to its customers.