You’re a new Vice President in the After-Sales industry. What are the most important things you need to know?

When taking on a VP role in After-Sales, I would do the following: - I would ask for an extract of the entire customer portfolio; - I would use some criteria to start by degree of importance/relevance, such as ABC Curve, or Pareto Diagram. - I would carry out a SWOT Analysis from the inside to out, of each their's strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats; - I would pursuit to understand their behavior patterns, whether purchasing and/or operations; - I would also activate the market intelligence team to be able to use as much of their strategic data as possible; - And then, I would make an action plan for each one, aiming to contribute to solving their main "pains" and more specific needs.

No pós venda, saber compreender problema do seu cliente faz toda diferen?a no seu atendimento , enxergar a necessidade e solu??o do problema , dando sempre um Feedback , mostrando seu interesse em realmente solucionar sua demanda . Acredito que é nesse momento que passamos a conhecê-lo (o cliente ) e ele conhecer a nós vendo nosso empenho no atendimento . E sim, um bom atendimento fideliza o cliente , ser prestativo , cordial e resolutivo .

Understanding customer needs is paramount in after-sales, especially in the consumer goods industry, where experience is a key differentiator. Leveraging my extensive background, I've found that integrating customer feedback into service design significantly enhances satisfaction. We meet customers' expectations and foster loyalty by segmenting customers and personalising after-sales services. My experience driving transformation at Electrolux UAE has taught me the importance of aligning after-sales services with ESG principles, which resonates well with today's environmentally conscious consumers and contributes to sustainable brand growth.

When assuming the position of VP in After-Sales, it would be extremely important to know the products and services that the organization can offer. I would also apply a SWOT Analysis, now to understand more precisely what our strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. I would try to carry out assessment sessions with the entire after-sales team, to be able to understand the level of technical knowledge of each ones and, as well as emotional intelligence, negotiation, among others. The idea would be promote an equalization of hard and soft skills, to have a team not just in the same boat, but all rowing in the same direction!

Understanding your products in depth is crucial for fostering a customer-centric approach to after-sales service. My experience has shown that a VP must grasp not only the technical aspects but also how these features translate into real-world benefits for the customer. This knowledge is essential for troubleshooting, guiding product development, and ensuring that the after-sales support aligns with consumers' evolving needs and expectations. Furthermore, being well-versed in product lifecycle and sustainability practices is vital for promoting responsible consumption and aligning with ESG principles.

Mr. William Edward Deming (statistician, professor, author of books), once said: “You can not manage what you can not measure, you can not measure what you can not define, you can not define what you can not understand, and there is no success in what can not be managed.” Therefore, knowing the indicators of the after-sales sector, as well as negotiation margins, quality, profitability and efficiency, are ESSENTIAL for the success of operations. The most common to be measured is the degree of customer satisfaction, churn, customer acquisition cost, lifetime value (LTV), rate of return (ROR), conversion rate, productivity rate, etc.

Understanding and leveraging after-sales metrics is crucial for driving business success. As a new VP, it's essential to establish a balanced scorecard that includes both leading indicators (like service response time and first-time fix rate) and lagging indicators (such as Net Promoter Score and repeat purchase rate). These metrics gauge current performance and help predict future outcomes, enabling proactive strategy adjustments. Regularly revisiting and refining these KPIs per evolving business goals and market conditions is critical to maintaining a competitive edge.

It’s very important to know the metrics of the after-sales service company you join. Do they have the necessary tools (in CRM) to measure these tools. If the KPI’s are not defined, then the same should be set. For example, the Repair Turn Around Time, Spare part availability, call center KPI’s, collection & delivery lead time, ratings given by customers in various social media websites, etc. If the KPI’s are not defined, they should be defined. Then methods to achieve these KPI’s should be discussed with the team members. Additional resources should be included if required.

Each person has strengths, weaknesses, as well as highlights. By getting to know each member of the after-sales team, it is possible to identify where they need to be addressed to accelerate development. Working with a policy based on transparency, empathy, openness to listening to each member, as well as issuing feedback and feedforward, are points that tend to contribute to fantastic results! Most people just want to be valued, if they feel like they belong and if they feel respected for their individuality. In the end, the idea is that everyone has the common objective of serving the customer well, with specific indicators for this.

Sun Tzu (Chinese general, strategist and philosopher) said: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but do not know the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a loss. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will lose all the battles." Do you realize how important it is to apply SWOT analysis in the After-Sales sector? This would be an essential factor in identifying possible opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses, studying our competitors. It is necessary to add value to our business. Transparency, quality, deadlines, the internal motivation that is carried out to serve employees well, which directly impacts customer service.