Research Paper on:
Case Study : American Express Customer Service

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
vice-president for the Card Division was not satisfied with the traditional methods for evaluating customer service. Many of the complaints were never included in the assessments. The primary goal  was to improve customer service. Along with this goal was the issue of how to accurately assess the current level of satisfaction among card holders. From this information, the company  could devise an action plan to actualize the goal. Alternative Solutions The first step in any plan of improvement is to assess where the company is right  now. The group carefully analyzed all letters to the company from customers and from this, they were able to determine three specific attributes on which perception of service were determined:  timeliness, accuracy and responsiveness. This needs assessment led to brainstorming 180 standards by which customer service could be measured. Some of the standards were directly related to competitive forces; some  to the capabilities of the company and some to economic trade-off factors. Alternative solutions included: 1. Getting new cards out more quickly. 2. Getting replacement cards out more quickly. 3.  Responding to customers letters more quickly. The first two would result in more revenue for the company. They had estimated that the company would earn 33 cents for each day  earlier they could get the car in the customers hands. The third one, responding more quickly would lead to more satisfied customers, who would then be more apt to  use their American Express card instead of some other credit card. Critical Success Factors The critical success factors would center on the decreased time it took to get new  and replacement cards out to the customer. As for response time, success would be determined by a decrease in the number of complaints and perhaps an increase in the number