In the ongoing effort to enhance customer service, many companies make
small tweaks in processes or infrastructure to strengthen old practices or
accommodate the changing needs of customers.
However, at The Lincoln Electric Co., Rick
Trivisonno, director of customer service and
community affairs, and the management
team restructured the customer service department to distinguish the company in the
arc welding design, development and manufacturing industry.
The comprehensive reorganization didn’t
happen overnight. The yearlong process
incorporated operating practices from Six
Sigma, training principles from Dale
Carnegie, and a host of leading procedures,
methods and measurable reliability standards modeled after some of the most successful companies in the world.
Lincoln Electric also brought on additional staff to facilitate the reforms. These new
hires are equipped with the latest customer
support technology and are empowered to
make decisions to speed inquiry and warranty processing. The revamped department also features newly installed, dedicated phone lines to handle a wide range of customer issues and to foster faster response
times with little to no call waiting.
Lincoln Electric also provides customers
with access to myLincolnElectric.com, an
intranet with 24-7 access that allows them to
track and manage orders. If they have any
questions along the way, the company also
features an electronic contact management
tool that allows customers to e-mail questions for a swift and detailed response.
Lincoln Electric has long claimed to be the
experts in welding. With its comprehensive
reforms in its service department and on the
Web, Lincoln Electric is one step closer to
being the industry experts in customer service, as well.
HOW TO REACH: The Lincoln Electric Co., (216) 481-8100 or
www.lincolnelectric.com
