📷Service-Centric Support | Moving Beyond the Box Dropper Mentality😁

In today’s hyper-competitive market, surviving as a business that only sells hardware or “tin” is a challenge that many companies fail to overcome. The era of box droppers is rapidly fading, replaced by a demand for service-centric strategies that prioritize the customer experience over mere product delivery. This evolution marks a shift from a product strategy to a service strategy, where the real value lies not in the hardware but in the services, tools, and teachings that accompany it.

The Death of Tin | Why Product Alone Isn’t Enough

Let's face it—hardware is everywhere, manufactured in sweat factories across the globe and sold at prices that are as cheap as chips. If your business is built solely on selling hardware, your days are numbered. The market is flooded with products, and the only way to stand out is by offering something more. That “more” is a comprehensive service that transforms a piece of hardware into a complete solution.

Service Without Limits | A Vision Ahead of Its Time

Back in 1995, I worked for a company that understood this concept long before it became a buzzword. The company was Madge Networks, and they coined the term “Support Without Limits.” Today, I prefer to call it “Service Without Limits,” a philosophy that encapsulates the following principles:

• Customers are supported and engaged: This isn’t just about solving problems; it’s about building relationships.

• As long as it takes: Service doesn’t have an expiration date. You’re there for your customers, no matter how long it takes.

• Never drop the ball: Consistency is key. Your customers need to know that they can rely on you.

• Don’t wait for the customer to call you: Proactivity in service is essential. Anticipate needs before they arise.

• Sell services, not just products: The value is in the experience, not the hardware.

• Create synergy between applications & communications: Integration is critical. Your service should seamlessly fit into your customer’s ecosystem.

• Deliver uncapped service: Just like uncapped broadband, your service should have no limits.

People, Not Customers | The Human Element of Service

One of the most significant shifts in service-centric support is the recognition that you’re not dealing with customers—you’re dealing with people. These people have names, needs, and expectations. They aren’t just numbers in a database or accounts in a CRM system; they’re your friends and acquaintances in the business world. Long-term relationships with customers should be nurtured, not taken for granted. After all, these are the people who ultimately pay your salary, not your grumpy boss.

Lessons from Kodak | The Cost of Ignoring Service

Remember Kodak? A giant in the product world, they were innovators who unfortunately didn’t pivot to a service-centric model in time. They created the digital camera—a product so revolutionary that it killed their film business. But Kodak didn’t die because their products were inferior; they died because they failed to offer the service that their customers really needed. If they had focused on delivering the experience of storing memories, rather than just selling film, they might still be here today.

Brand, Simplicity, and Ecosystem | The New Business Model

In a service-centric world, your brand is not just your company name—it’s the experience you offer. Companies like Apple excel at delivering a simple, yet sophisticated message through their brand. When your service is clear, simple, and unique, it resonates with your customers (or should I say, friends).

Doing business is about building an ecosystem, not operating in isolation. Your service must be sticky enough that your friends keep coming back for more. This requires co-opting internal and external players into your business team to deliver a cohesive, comprehensive solution. And forget about the term “value-added”—if you have to say you add value, then you’re probably just a box dropper.

The Role of Social Media in Service & Support

In today’s digital age, engaging your customers through social media is no longer optional—it’s essential. The phone is becoming as outdated as the telegram, and the fax machine has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Yet, many businesses still see social media as merely a marketing tool, missing its potential as a platform for resolving problems and delivering service.

In South Africa, the technology website MyBroadband started as a community forum, where people could engage in discussions about broadband. This community aspect has immense power. Instead of dismissing these communities, businesses should embrace them. They are an extension of your service team, providing support, engagement, and problem-solving in real-time.

The Reality of Poor Service | A Personal Account

Service-centric support is not just a buzzword—it's a necessity for businesses that want to thrive in today's market. But what happens when service fails spectacularly? I’ve had my share of poor service experiences, but one that stands out is my time in a hospital for a Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, a procedure I had hoped would finally end my chronic reflux issues.

The Operation | Not Quite What I Expected

The surgeon assured me that the procedure was routine. I imagined I'd be in and out of the hospital, with nothing but a few small puncture marks to show for it. However, I woke up feeling like I had been run over by a bus. The pain was intense, and I quickly realized I’d be spending more time in that hospital bed than I had anticipated.

A Miserable Stay

The hospital experience was far from what I expected. My ward mate couldn’t stop talking about his own operation—on his anus, no less. I tried to drown him out by watching TV, only to find that the TVs were relics from the 80s, small cathode ray tubes bolted to the ceiling. The sound quality was equally dismal, with headsets that refused to stay on. I finally gave up, thanks in no small part to the cocktail of painkillers that knocked me out.

A Struggle to Leave

When the doctor gave me the green light to leave the next day, I was overjoyed—until the nurse told me I couldn’t leave until I had a bowel movement. I waited, hoping to be discharged soon, but nothing happened. The nurse offered a laxative, which I accepted, thinking it would speed things up. What followed was a desperate race to the toilet, dragging a decrepit drip trolley behind me. I barely made it in time, only to realize the lights in the toilet were off. In my panic, I hit the first switch I saw, which turned out to be the nurse's call bell. I finally made my way back to the bed, ready to leave this nightmare behind.

The Final Insult | A Pointless Survey

Before I could leave, the hospital handed me a customer service survey. I rated everything a 1 and wrote in the comments, "KAK SLEG!"—which, if you’re curious, you can look up. The next day, the hospital called, concerned about my ratings. I gave them a list of reasonable suggestions: update the TVs and headsets, replace the drip trolleys, install proper lighting in the toilets, and maybe do something about the chatty patients. They thanked me and hung up.

A Year Later | Nothing Had Changed

A year later, I found myself back at the same hospital with my mum. I noticed that nothing had changed. The TVs, headsets, drip trolleys, and toilets were exactly the same. It was as if my feedback had fallen into a black hole. It was a stark reminder that customer service doesn’t always exist in the way we’d like to believe it does.

Service Without Limits | What It Really Means

My experience at the hospital reinforced my belief that service-centric support is crucial. It's not just about having a product or service—it's about ensuring that every interaction with your customers, or "friends" as I prefer to call them, is a positive one. When businesses ignore feedback and fail to act on reasonable suggestions, they miss out on an opportunity to improve and build lasting relationships.

The lesson here? Don’t be like that hospital. If you’re serious about service, don’t just ask for feedback—act on it. Because if you don’t, your customers will eventually find someone who will.

Wrap | Evolve or Perish

The future of business lies in service-centric support. The companies that will thrive are those that understand the importance of moving beyond products to offer comprehensive, integrated services that create lasting relationships with their customers. This shift requires a new mindset—one that sees customers as friends, products as part of a larger service ecosystem, and service as the cornerstone of business success.

Embrace the change, or risk becoming obsolete, like so many great product companies before you.

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Ronald Bartels ensures that Internet inhabiting things are connected reliably online at Fusion Broadband South Africa - the leading specialized SD-WAN provider in South Africa. Learn more about the best SD-WAN provider in the world! 👉 Contact Fusion