Whether technology by itself is enough to ensure high-quality customer service or not
Although technology improves the quality of services to customers, it does not ensure that high-quality services are offered to clients due to various reasons. First, cyber crimes have been a great challenge to technology. Companies, which have maintained close connections with technology, have been victims of cyber crimes and thus reduced customer service. Through hacking, miscellaneous individuals have managed to tamper with the company data thus causing inconveniences to both the company and its customers. Identity theft has also been observed to be a factor, which lowers the company customer care relationships. Individuals have also managed to gain access to individuals’ private information for financial gains (Ilyas 12). For that reasons, the customers have become reluctant to maintaining close contact with the loyal companies through the internet. Technological failure can also inconvenience the relationship between the customers and the company.
It can thus be concluded that technology itself does not increase the quality of customer service. However, technology can be used in conjunction with other factors to improve customer care services in the company. For instance, using other means of communications in the case where technology has failed would improve the relationships between the customers and the company. For illustration, aside from the internet, the Federal Express has put in place a call center where the customers can communicate with the company customer care agents in the case where the technology fails. Honesty, good communication skills, knowledge of the company’s services and practicing business ethics in companies can also ensure high-quality customer service in conjunction with technology.
The Federal Express’s estimated annual savings from using information technology
The Federal Express saves an estimate of 1,069,960,000 annually by using information technology. First, the company saves $ 57.56 million annually as a result of information requested through the internet rather than by calls. The cost has thus been as a result of FedEx.com, which is an information technology that is used by the company. Secondly, tracking costs had been identified to be $1.36 billion and above. However, through the company’s website, which enables the customers to track their packages, the company’s tracking costs have reduced to $21.6 million annually, saving the company $ 1,338,400,000 billion. Therefore, the company saves $1,395,960,000 annually as a result of the website. However, the company still uses $ 326 million annually due to technological failures. The cost is thus deducted from the savings thus resulting in an estimated saving of $1,069,960,000 annually.
Examples of information technologies used by Federal Express
The Federal Express uses various information technologies to increase customer relationship. First, the company uses telephones to communicate with the customers. The customers, who get difficulties using the internet to provide feedback or enquire about their packages, uses telephones to get in touch with the company. Telephones are, for that reason, an information technology adopted by the company as a backup plan due to technological failure. Another information technology used by Federal Express is the internet. Through the company’s website, http://about.fedex.designcdt.com, the customers can track their packages. The website thus links the customers with the company in an economical and easy way as compared to telephone calls. The company also uses software technologies for the purposes of improving customer services. The customers’ sites are thus installed with an application known as the ship manager to aid them in the e-commerce business. Through the application, the customers can weigh their packages to determine the cost of transportation. Billing can also be made through the application thus saving time as well as costs for the company.
Works Cited
Ilyas, Ms. Mahira. "Cybersecurity." (2015).
