Service managers often face major challenges in their operational business. As a result, they sometimes lack the time to take a step back from time to time and fundamentally question their own working methods.
Why is that so difficult?
It's completely understandable if you sometimes can't see the wood for the trees due to the intensity of the day-to-day business in service. However, this can also lead to you developing tunnel vision and no longer breaking new ground. If you want to stay ahead of the game, it's important to keep up with the latest trends in service management.
This is often not easy. Smaller companies often have a budget problem when it comes to new developments. However, once there is a project budget, they can usually implement the project much faster than companies from the corporate segment. With the larger players, on the other hand, bureaucracy usually slows down progress. However, the larger financial resources are usually made available.
However, it is often not the organizations that are to blame for the lack of change, but actually us managers. There are often two types of service managers. The first is the classic screwdriver, who comes from the technical side. They often become too engrossed in organizing the service process or solving individual cases and sometimes lack the management overview. It becomes difficult when, in addition to an overview, there is also a lack of interest in management issues.
On the other hand, there is the classic lateral entrant from management, who is usually informed about all the key figures, sits in every meeting, but sometimes lacks the right know-how to think ahead and break new ground.
What problems does this cause?
We can expect some radical developments in service, to which service managers must react appropriately. Many companies underestimate the extent of their administrative tasks, which could now be automated and will have to be automated in the future. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable staff and it is therefore essential to ensure that they are only deployed for value-adding activities. Not to satisfy any inefficient processes or systems. We will no longer be able to afford this luxury in the future. Customers are not prepared to pay for these inefficiencies, accept longer processing times or compromise on quality.
It is often the case that the day-to-day business in a service department runs relatively smoothly, but the vision is sometimes lost sight of. It is not possible to fundamentally question tried and tested processes. This can also cause problems in the context of digitalization initiatives. If your own processes are not well developed, you should first revise them before implementing innovative concepts. If you digitize bad processes, you will only end up with digitized bad processes. You have to constantly ask yourself: What am I actually doing here and could there be a better way?
There are also a number of changes that need to be addressed proactively. The labor market is changing. It's not just that the pandemic has driven the move towards working from home. The shortage of skilled workers is also causing us problems. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable staff, especially in the field. You have to counteract this by automating more and more activities or shifting them to the back office. For you, this means many organizational, procedural and cultural difficulties that you need to actively address. Otherwise you will simply have problems providing your service in the usual quality in a few years' time. You will lack the means and resources.
What can I do about it?
So take the time to rethink your strategy from time to time, despite the stressful day-to-day business. Progress in service is less about revolution and more about evolution. And for the good companies, these evolutionary development steps are the result of a healthy mix of reflection, inspiration and courage. For the laggards, it's pressure from outside. By then, however, it is usually too late and they run after the developments.
Therefore, address these issues proactively. To do this, it is important that you stay up to date. Working groups in trade associations, congresses or trade fairs are a good place to start. You can also consider setting up a service circle with like-minded service professionals to regularly exchange ideas and gain impressions from other companies.
Last but not least, coaches in the service sector can of course also help to reflect the experience of other companies in their own processes. Regular training courses help to sharpen your focus on new innovative topics. As a service manager, you should stay on the ball in order to avoid the problems mentioned and not miss the boat.
