Abstract
In this paper, the meaning of technology is well outlined and its major impact on different services that are offered to customers by different people in the world of business. Some major developments that have taken place in the way services are delivered to customers have been discussed. It is true that due to technology, more efficient ways of rendering services to customers are being invented every day.
Some of these ways have been discussed in this paper outlining the impact they are placing on many businesses as well as customers. The paper also describes the appropriate time for using high technology services, as well as low technology services to customers.
Introduction
The word technology has acquired many definitions especially from the start of the twentieth century up to date. Sometimes we use the word technology while describing objects, knowledge as well as activities. The nature of an object, level of knowledge and the activities carried out by different people may give an indication that some level of technology has been incorporated. Technology has seen to it that, different sectors of an economy improve.
For one, the effect of technology is largely felt in the business world with many new products being produced every day as well as improving the way services are rendered to different customers. This has led to a great improvement in many business organizations with some of them experiencing abnormal profits. Customer service happens to be the major activity of all business organizations (Gerow & Miller, 2010).
Without customers, businesses are unable to operate. This is because, for any business to continue its operations, it must have customers for all its commodities and services. The type and nature of services offered to customers will influence their response to a particular business and its commodities. This is a reason that has enabled many businesses to opt for high technology and customer friendly way of offering services.
Types of customer services and technology
A service is an act or performance that is done to someone. The service may come after one has done something, although at other times, services can be given to someone who has not done anything to another (Hsieh, 2005).
Many business organizations prefer giving good services to their potential customer even when they have not had any transaction with them. This is done in order to attract more and more customers to the products of a business. Technology in terms of customer services may be defined as the ways or objects that fulfils a service in an efficient manner a within a short period of time.
There are several types of customer services in the business world. One of these services is the high touch customer service. In this type of customer service, there is usually a high level of interaction between the seller and the customer. It is mostly conducted in high stores where there are sales people. On approaching a particular business premise, a customer is usually approached by a sales person, who tries to create a good mood to the customer (Choudrie & Dwivedi, 2005).
The sales person may first of all ask obvious questions to the customer such as how they are. When the customer gets in the mood of talking, the sales person can then start explaining the importance and the uses of different commodities in the store. Through this kind of a dialogue, the customer may end up creating an interest in another product that they did not have an interest in. In today’s business world; technology has les to the improvement of this type of customer service.
Through the internet, a customer can obtain all the information required for some one to create an interest in a particular product. Much of the information offered through the internet about products, is usually incorporated with captivating advertisements which are very hard to be ignored.
Some of these advertisements are even brought on televisions and radios. After the advertisement, one is left with an urge to try and experience the effects of the commodity that was being advertised. Thus, through technology, it is not always necessary for sales people to look for customers and try to create interest in them about a product.
The second form of customer service is referred to as the low touch customer service. This is where there are no sales people to give more information to customers about a product. It is mostly done by those business organizations that deal with only one type of a commodity.
The commodities may be of different sizes and quantities but entirely of the same type. Mostly, in this type of customer service, the business owners may have a feeling that, the products they offer are useful and many people require them in their day to day lives. Thus, the business will be sure that, every day they must get customers. It has been found that, this type of service is rendered by those businesses that are rare in a region (Huang & Lin, 2006, p. 101).
This is because customers will have no otherwise, other than to buy from the business. As we can see, use of high technology for this type of service may not be required. No advertisements may be required, thus giving information through the internet, televisions or even the radios may not be necessary. Many businesses that offer discounts to their products, or sale goods at low prices may use this type of customer service.
In some cases, low touch customer service has been found to do well in some businesses than the high touch customer service. This is because, in the high touch customer service, the organization may be forced to spend a lot of funds while trying to post information through the internet and advertisements through televisions and radios.
Another type of customer service that is on the rise today is the understanding customer service. A sales person gives the customer the first chance to express themselves and their needs. The customer can give information on how they may have been in need of a particular product, and yet they have never gotten a chance to know where to find it.
The customer may also express their feelings about the effects of a particular product to them. After getting all the information, the sales person may then take the initiative to give explanations on the products.
In most cases, the sales persons tend to give information to the customer about other substitutes of the products they were talking about. Mostly, the substitutes suggested ends up being the products dealt with by the sales person. Through the internet, one is directed through a series of questions. After every answer they give, the get a comment that directs them to a particular product.
The last type of customer service is the perfect customer service. Information is usually given to a potential customer even when they did not show any interest in the information. This service is mostly offered by banking institutions and telecommunication service offering institutions.
The customer is always kept aware of the status of their accounts even when they did not ask (Choudrie & Dwivedi, 2005). The information given here is always true. Instructions on how to operate some machines may also be given, not bothering whether the customer is interested in using the machine. This information can be given through street videos, the internet as well as radios. In other institutions, after transaction services are also offered.
When large machines or many commodities are bought some businesses takes the responsibility of delivering the commodities to the customers’ premises. Through technology, such goods can be delivered by vehicles such as tracks, which take a shorter period of time to reach destinations unlike when people have to do the transportation.
Conclusion
Technology has improved the ease with which services are offer to customers. It is through the advancement in technology that customers can get some services even when they are at their respective homes. This occurs mostly through the radios and televisions which are products of high technology. The internet has also played a big role in improving the services offered to customers.
Better services to customers have also lead to the increase in the market of different products from different business institutions. The reputation of different businesses has also improved due to the services they offer to their customers. For a business organization to grow and be fruitful, the type of customer service offered matters a lot. All businesses should evaluate the best services that are convenient to use and acceptable to their customers (Reponen, 2003).
Reference List
Choudrie, J., & Dwivedi, Y. (2005). Investigating the Research Approaches for Examining Technology Adoption Issues. Journal of Research Practice,1(1).
Gerow, J. E., & Miller, J. (2010). Offering appropriate information technologies at different stages in the customer service life cycle for improved service delivery. J. Service Science & Management, 3, 1-15.
Hsieh, C. (2005). Implementing Self-Service Technology To Gain Competitive Advantages. Communications of the IIMA,5(1), 77-81.
Huang, J., & Lin, C. (2006). Empower internet services in hotel industry- A customer service life cycle concept. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 9, 99 – 103.