Service Meetings? Is your time worth it?

mjarbar · 10-14-2008

We tend to have meetings every 3 months or so and usually end up having breakfast courtesy of the management, and usually it is quite productive as our engineers have been able to get our sales people to do the required paperwork when and how we like, we have also got the sales people to work more closely with the service dept. as it is the engineers that go to the customers more often and so are better able to see and understand what the customers requirements really are.

So on the whole I'd say they are worth it, so long as everyone listens to what everyone says.

**cobiray** · 10-14-2008

Originally Posted by mjarbar

...usually it is quite productive as our engineers have been able to get our sales people to do the required paperwork when and how we like...

Does this also require torture or blunt head trauma?

**prntrfxr** · 10-15-2008

I believe there is no substitute for training. As a Service Manager, I NEVER let sales people control the meeting. It is a SERVICE meeting for service personal, not sales. SALES people are NOT invited to my meetings, nor is management, but I will permit anyone to observe (including customers on occasion). I assign 1 technician per week to do a verbal report on one of the following (15-20 min): 1) problem noticed with machine and solution found, 2) new product, training, or feature in industry, & 3) customer service technique or procedure to follow. I occasionally allow a billing person time to explain or address problems with filling out workorders clearly with sufficient info or a sales person to address a problem (but the techs have input on how the problem can be resolved). I follow-up with items of importance I feel need to be addressed and resolve problems that happened during the week. Total time 1 hour - but a PRODUCTIVE not a waste your time meeting.