Featured Article
Monday November 23, 2009
by Catherine Shaffer
Customer service and support can make a crucial difference in otherwise comparable products and technologies. When the products serve the scientific research market, customer service takes on a new meaning. Not only do customers require guidance in using and troubleshooting the products, but these issues have to be dealt with in the context of ongoing scientific research. When an experiment goes wrong, having access to a person that can not only answer your immediate questions, but also put you back on track right away, can make the difference between staying on deadline and a costly delay.
Many types of services may fall under the umbrella of customer service and support, including sales, technical support, field service and repair, and training. Depending on the size of the organization, these functions may be closely related or broken down into different departments that work together. For example, in the applied science division of Roche Diagnostics the technical service department is staffed by sixteen people in house and more than 20 in the field who supply answers or help with technical support across the product line. These service representatives are supported by hundreds of field service representatives who are available for on-site instrument repair and technical support.
However, unlike customer service specialists for consumer appliances or electronics, representatives that serve the research market often have a scientific background so that they can understand a customer's applications and needs. “Because it's a research market, we talk scientist-to-scientist. Two-thirds of individuals in [Roche applied science] technical support have PhDs, and they've all been at the research bench and bring that experience with them,” says John Ogden, director of applications and technical services for applied science at Roche.
An example of a frequent area of activity in Roche support is next generation sequencing. Instruments like the GS Flx (454 Sequencing) involve the generation of a great deal of data, which can be challenging to process. Says Ogden, “Our group is able to speak on the phone and help put into perspective all of this information.... Our goal in our technical call center is not just to pass information along, but to help researchers be successful with our products. That involves asking the right questions to determine what scientists are trying to accomplish so we can help them find the best solution.”
A similar sentiment is expressed by Jennifer L. Lescallett, senior director, North America service and support, Affymetrix, “It is important that our customers achieve their research goals; therefore it’s important for us to know our customers and understand their needs, listen, and respond.”
Affymetrix offers many types of support and service, including on-site instrument installation, preventative maintenance, and emergency visits by highly trained engineers from their award-winning field service organization. They also offer service contracts for purchase after the first year of instrument warranty for added security. Application support is available by phone or email from a team of application scientists and software support engineers. Their expertise ranges from experimental design strategy, assay training and troubleshooting, to software support, data management, and data analysis. They also provide on-site product, instrument, and software training.
A common theme in the field of service and support is in enabling a customer to achieve something greater than they expected with the product—adding value above and beyond problem-solving. Customer feedback also plays an important role in shaping a service organization, and in ongoing product development. Customers are often hesitant to offer negative feedback, but a pointed critique can be very valuable in addressing a problem in the early stages.
Technical support is an important contributor to the overall value received by a customer when they purchase a product, and in the case of scientific products, it is reasonable to expect a high level of scientific expertise in customer support representatives. Customer service organizations may include many interconnected departments, or a number of individuals serving multiple roles, depending on the scope and span of the company. Support can extend beyond basic operation and troubleshooting of the product, offering a sounding board for the use of technology in the overall context of a research project. A quality customer service organization does more than just get you off the phone and answer the next call—they want to see you successful in your research.