Hi, and welcome to Maintenance Matters, an ongoing conversation about maintenance, service, and support. I deliberately chose the word “Matters” as part of the title because of it’s double meaning:
- Matter – noun – a topic. Because the focus of this blog will be on topics, or matters, around maintaining, servicing, and supporting customers and the hardware or software products they lease, rent, subscribe to, or own.
- Matter – verb – have significance. Because service and support are important, they matter to the customers and to the companies who manufacture, sell, and service the products. The quality of service molds customers attitudes, determines what they will buy, shapes brands, and raises – or razes – companies.
In short, these matters matter.
In the coming weeks and months we will discuss many topics (er, matters) of interest to the maintenance and support community on this page. Discussion points on the radar include:
- maintenance pricing issues
- channel / partner support matters
- service and support costs
- spare parts planning, forecasting, and outsourcing
- service and support KPIs and metrics
- various field service and depot repair related topics
- etc.
I’ll also have several posts on the progress of the new Technology Services Industry Association (TSIA) benchmark survey and database as we roll that out during the first couple months of Q1, 2010.
I’ll share some customer service stories along the way as well – some good, some not-so-good. All in the interest of examining best practices and not-so-best practices in how to support – and keep – the customers who keep us all in business.
And from time to time, I’ll ask for your input in an informal mini-survey – although your comments, suggestions, and yes, even your criticisms will always be welcome – those of you who know me know I’m not a kid any more, so I’ve grown a reasonably thick skin.
I’m fortunate to work in the research arm of the TSIA. As such, I have the privilege of working with many experienced, knowledgeable, and talented people from our member companies who provide support and maintenance services to their customers every day. They ask me a lot of challenging questions, but they also provide me with a great deal of information and insight. That combination of continuing research and information flow will generate a continuous stream of ideas with which to fill these future blog pages. I’ll plan on posting at least every two weeks on average – more often time permitting. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks in advance for your interest – IT MATTERS!
Michael Israel