Everyone talks about R&D. Everyone talks about Customer Service. But never have I seen them put together.
The companies that I’m most likely to provide feedback to are the ones that wow me. These (right or wrong) are the ones that I perceive as being the most customer focused. Direct client feedback, while sometimes misleading, is invaluable to companies. But without a customer service point how will you collect it?
Tie your customer service directly to your R&D group. What you will likely discover is that your CSRs end up with a different mindset – improvement focused rather than “solving a problem” focused. Your R&D team will also gain a direct pipeline to your current customers. These two groups are closer in alignment than people typically think even though they traditionally service two different functions.
So focus on Customer Service! Not doing it can only hurt you.