Investigation and improvement of customer service within the retail outlets of the South African post office.

Abstract

Customer service has become the prominent differentiator for companies around the world as it is the integral reason for success or failure of a firm. The globalisation of products and services has led companies to realise the importance of providing customers with exceptional service. Customers have more buying power than ever before as they are more informed and have global access to any company hence companies have to find methods to remain competitive. This report addresses the shortcomings of the South African Post Office with regards to providing remarkable customer service. Customer service has become a major problem in the recent years at SAPO as they are failing to satisfy customer needs and requirements. The 2014 annual report indicates the loss of customers which contributed to lower revenues. To begin with an extensive literature study is presented wherein relevant customer service enhancement frameworks are highlighted and discussed. Based upon the insight gained during this phase the Enhanced Customer Experience Framework is selected for the improvement of customer service within the post office. The framework aims to improve customer experience by aligning key internal business processes with customer requirements. The Enhanced Customer Experience Framework is adapted and applied within the postal service environment. The framework has seven distinct stages which utilise industrial techniques to achieve the specified outcome. Each stage is explained, elaborated and applied with the associated outcomes discussed. Specific improvement initiatives are identified and modelled through simulation modelling to gain a visual perspective on the outcomes if each initiative is implemented. The improvement initiatives are then analysed through Analytical Hierarchy Process and thereafter ranked accordingly. The proposed outcomes of the framework aim to help the South African Post Office better understand their customers needs whilst advising on how to align business processes with customer requirements. Not only should SAPO benefit from this study, but this model can be adapted to suit other organisations striving to improve customer service.