Customer Support Services According to TOC (Chapter 30 of Theory of Constraints Handbook)

This is an individual chapter of Theory of Constraints Handbook. The purposes of this chapter are to provide the “when to” and “how to” guide for analyzing the problems and designing practical solutions at the area of customer support (also known as technical support) at product organizations. Customer support is the range of services and tools designed to assist customers in making cost-effective and correct use of product or service. It should enhance the level of customer satisfaction ” that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation. It may include assistance in planning, installation, training, troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrading and disposal of the product (or service). Well show the far-reaching impact that customer support has on the success of organizations, both directly through its impact on company expenses and income, as well as its indirect, longer-term impact on repeat sales. Well use TOC analytic tools to examine these effects, and as a result of it, will suggest how to apply TOC and its applications to significantly improve customer support, thus contributing to a better, more successful organization.