Customer Service and Your Database
I've recently had several disappointing customer service encounters. They ranged from merely annoying to downright appalling and got me to thinking about how customer service fits into the daily management of an organization's database. I hope the following ideas will inspire you to look at customer service in a new way.
When I talk about customers I'm not just talking about external customers (members, contributors, customers, etc.); I'm also talking about internal customers. Staff who work at your organization and use the database are your customers, too. You have an obligation to them to provide the best possible customer service.
Following are some tips for providing better service to all of your customers
- Keep Your Promises - This seems like an obvious one, but you would be amazed at how often it doesn't happen.
I recently purchased software with a promise from the company that they would refund my money if I didn't like the software. I didn't, and they didn't. I returned the software, but the company told me I took too long to contact them - that I had taken advantage of them, and thus they would not refund my entire purchase price.
Whether you promise to clean up the data by a certain date, or deliver a report for a certain department, keep your promises. The best way to ensure this is to be as specific as possible when making promises.
Tell your customers "I will deliver this report on this date," not "I will get this done sometime next week." Specific promises are easy to keep; general promises are much more difficult.
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Deliver Everything You Say You Will Deliver - This one is not significantly different from the first, but is worth singling out. If you say you're going to deliver x and y, be sure both x and y are delivered. Don't make your customers have to come back to you to ask for something you promised in the first place.
In one of my recent customer service fiascos, I ordered a lawn product online. When it arrived, the package was missing all of the hardware (nuts and bolts) that should have been included. So I had to call the company to get the missing parts.
When I began to build the product, I discovered that more parts missing. So I had to call the company again. VERY frustrating.
If you promise to deliver something to your database customers (e.g., a new report, a new set of functionality), be sure you deliver ALL of it. Don't deliver it in pieces, unless you and your customer agree beforehand that is acceptable. If you frustrate your customers, they're less likely to continue using the database.
- Don't Do Me Any Favors! - I ordered something online and then decided to cancel the order (which was within my rights according to the seller's website). Although the vendor cancelled my order and refunded my money, he sent me a nasty email complaining that he was tired of customers who "carelessly" ordered things and then cancelled them.
My reaction was "Hey, if you don't want customers to cancel orders, tell them there are no returns allowed." Don't tell me I'm allowed to cancel my order and then scold me for doing so.
The same goes for us as database managers. If managing the database is your job responsibility, when a customer complains or takes you up on a promise you made, don't treat them like you're doing them a favor. It's your job to help.
- Leave It Better Than You Found It - In yet another of my recent experiences, I had the driveway at my home paved by a local contractor. While paving my driveway the contractor managed to destroy several square yards of my lawn by spilling diesel fuel. My driveway is beautiful, but now my yard is a mess. I think it's fair to say that at the very least, when I pay someone to do something for me I can expect him or her to NOT damage other things in the process.
The same is true for the database. Your users have a responsibility to make sure they are properly trained, and that any changes they make to one area does not "break" another. Attention to detail and understanding how systems relate to each other are ways you can make sure you deliver quality service to your customers.
In addition, you have a responsibility to fix things that you find are broken. For example, if you come across data that you know is incorrect, correct it right now! Don't make a note that you'll fix it later; later seldom comes. Seize the moment and fix the things that are broken. Then leave it better than you found it.
Our best hope as database managers is that our users will use the database in the most efficient and effective manner possible. How we treat our customers can go a long way toward ensuring that happens.
Customer service is critical to your success, no matter what your position. Whether you are serving internal customers, external customers, or both, providing good customer service is not only the best thing to do, it's the right thing to do.
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