-- service profitability by 12% -- customer satisfaction rates by an average of 24% -- first call fix rates by 23%Best-in-Class organizations are showing greater improvements, with service profitability up 30%, customer satisfaction increases of 28%, and a 37% improvement in first call resolution rates. "Top organizations have realized the significant benefits gained by a smooth-running service supply chain," said Micky Long, Research Director at Aberdeen Group. "By leveraging partnerships and technology, and applying the right business processes and workflows, organizations are ensuring delivery of critical service parts to the point of service, efficiently managing part and product returns, and improving warranty management. The result is reduced costs, better customer satisfaction and higher service profitability." Other service supply chain Best-in-Class characteristics include:
-- 63% have a vice president or higher executive overseeing service and repair -- 62% regularly track all service supply chain financial and operational indicators -- 59% offer service staff real-time visibility into parts availabilityLong recommends that service organizations consider the following strategies to better position themselves as to meet customer service needs:
-- Link support systems to provide complete data flow across entire service operation -- Implement real-time analytic tools to aid rapid decision making and analyze the impact of decisions across the entire supply chain -- Leverage outsourced partnerships in parts logistics, repair, and other supply chain areas -- Create a closed-loop system to provide product design teams with product repair and warranty informationOver 160 companies participated in this quantitative study, including: Bombardier, Coca Cola, EMC, Heidelberg, Northrop Grumman, Nikon Precision, Panasonic and Toshiba. A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the following underwriters: ATC, Caterpillar, ExpressPoint, and Click Commerce. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4315. About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions. As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.
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Contact Information: Media Contact: Sumair Dutta Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5298 sumair.dutta@aberdeen.com