{"id":14861,"date":"2015-10-30T08:52:00","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T12:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=14861"},"modified":"2015-10-30T08:52:00","modified_gmt":"2015-10-30T12:52:00","slug":"docusense-leverages-a-team-approach-to-customer-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/enx-features\/service-excellence-winner\/2015\/10\/docusense-leverages-a-team-approach-to-customer-service\/","title":{"rendered":"DocuSense Leverages a Team Approach to Customer Service"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The

The DocuSense team (Donna & Robert Melso are front right)<\/p><\/div>\n

Ever since it was founded in 1989, DocuSense in West Chester, PA has been growing, expanding, and winning over new customers thanks to a commitment to providing superior service. As anyone who follows the comings and goings of the office technology dealer community clearly knows, superior service is something that everybody claims to offer, or at least strives for, but not everyone truly delivers, or delivers it in the same way. However, DocuSense delivers and that service excellence has been recognized with a BEI Services\/ENX Magazine Office Technology Service Excellence Award in the Diamond category for 2015.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only been a year and a half since DocuSense first implemented BEI, but the tools they now have at their disposal along with their previous service track record has propelled them as high as #4 in the nation in Office Technology Service Excellence Award (OTSEA) rankings, an impressive feat.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s review the numbers in a few key categories that illustrate how well DocuSense is doing. Hold for Parts runs between 10-12 percent, Call Backs consistently range from 25-28 percent, and First Call Effectiveness (FCE) ranges between 60-64 percent. Any way you break those out, those are notable numbers.<\/p>\n

Meet DocuSense<\/strong><\/p>\n

DocuSense is a certified Woman Owned Business, and a member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. What started as a three-person local operation has grown into a dealership of 15 employees with a variety of national service partners.<\/p>\n

DocuSense covers a wide swath of geography from its West Chester headquarters, as far north as Princeton, NJ, south to Delaware, and East to the Jersey Shore as well as the outskirts of Harrisburg, PA. Its client base includes Fortune 1000 corporations as well as small to medium size businesses.<\/p>\n

In 2002 DocuSense became a GSA Contractor and a Xerox Peak Elite reseller. It has maintained this status every year since. One trait that helps DocuSense stand out in a competitive marketplace is its pioneering efforts in providing customers with fleet management solutions. Before fleet management was a buzz word, there was DocuSense paving the way.<\/p>\n

\"Robert<\/a>

Robert Melso<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s Simple, It\u2019s Service<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s no surprise that DocuSense co-owner Bob Melso identifies service as the primary reason customers choose DocuSense over other options. Considering the wide geographic territory that DocuSense operates in, there\u2019s heavy competition.<\/p>\n

A proactive approach to service ensures that customers are well cared for. Virtually all customers are surveyed after each service call. The return rates for these surveys are respectable and often include valuable feedback for raising service to new levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor whatever reason they seem to like us,\u201d says Melso. \u201cWe have a great team, a great service manager John Leotta, and five techs on the road all day long.\u201d<\/p>\n

DocuSense techs are responsible for about 4.5 million pages per month.<\/p>\n

Certifications Make a Difference<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although metrics are important for managing the techs and monitoring service performance, tech certifications are equally important for the dealership, its customers, as well as the techs themselves. Techs are assigned territories primarily by location and secondarily based on their certifications.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s something else that sets DocuSense apart from its competitors\u2014the experience of its techs and the certifications they possess. Cumulatively, the dealership\u2019s five techs have more than 100 years of service expertise and are certified on a wide variety of equipment, including Xerox, Toshiba, HP, and Brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of certifications that have to happen to support [all this technology],\u201d emphasizes Melso. \u201cWe use the tools from BEI to help us define those territories.\u201d<\/p>\n

DocuSense supports its techs financially with bonuses for every certification they earn, something Melso believes is unique in the industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sit down with our techs quarterly, review their certifications, and for every certification they have they get a bump in their salary,\u201d reports Melso. \u201cThat changes every quarter because some devices fall off the list and are no longer supported and new devices are added. They can directly influence their salary by increasing their certifications, so we never have to push too hard for them to get a certification.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back to BEI<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even though DocuSense had a dynamite service operation before BEI, now they\u2019re even better. Melso recalls the original inspiration for giving it a try.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were looking for a way to measure our techs and provide them with feedback and John our service manager was asking \u2018Why can\u2019t we incent them a little bit better so they can see the fruits of their labor a little more?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Working with their BEI rep, DocuSense was presented with ideas for activity, FCE, and other areas that could raise service levels to even higher peaks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe use a simple method to measure our techs,\u201d explains Melso. \u201cIf they meet certain thresholds they get a nice check.\u201d<\/p>\n

The results of those metrics are shared with the techs every two months in face-to-face meetings.<\/p>\n

Did management have to show the techs the money before they saw the value in the metrics?<\/p>\n

Melso doesn\u2019t think so; rather he says the techs saw the promise of having these new methods of measuring activity and performance immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe basically measure their productive hours and their efficiency,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they meet their thresholds on efficiency\u201487 percent\u2014they get a bonus. It\u2019s all or nothing, they can\u2019t fall underneath or they don\u2019t get the bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite covering different geographies, DocuSense\u2019s techs take a team approach to service. To help promote teamwork DocuSense\u2019s service manager measures the team as a whole on productive hours and efficiency. If they meet a threshold as a group, they\u2019ll receive another bonus.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of their bonus is their individual contribution and another part is how the team is performing,\u201d states Melso.<\/p>\n

Improvements didn\u2019t happen overnight and DocuSense management wasn\u2019t expecting it to.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t go for the brass ring right away,\u201d acknowledges Melso. \u201cEvery six months we raised it to where we thought it should be and they\u2019ve been able to meet those goals. They were very responsive. Where we\u2019ve made the best strides is reducing the number of call backs and improving efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the best indicators of the quality service that DocuSense provides is its high customer retention rate. Customers simply don\u2019t leave, and for those that do, it\u2019s not unusual for them to find their way back once they realize this level of service isn\u2019t always found anywhere else.<\/p>\n

Melso is proud of what the service team has accomplished as well as the contributions of his sister Donna who was instrumental in introducing the dealership to BEI and helping manage the new system.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say enough about her and all the guys\u2019 hard work,\u201d says Melso. \u201cThey\u2019re very aware of the amount of productive hours they have to put in, but the system kind of runs itself. They know the system well and that minimizes my involvement and we\u2019re able to focus on other portions of the business knowing the service department is running just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

What recommendation would Melso have for another dealer who might be looking to enhance their service operation?<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck out BEI,\u201d he responds. \u201cThey provide us with metrics and a way of looking at the reporting in e-automate that enables us to go ahead and do this on our own.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for DocuSense?<\/p>\n

Besides wrapping up another good year, Melso says the dealership is planning to move into Managed Services and maybe even 3D printing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to be in this place now because with print governance and some of the other things coming down the road, software sales are going pretty well,\u201d states Melso. \u201cThis is a mature industry. Unless you\u2019re looking outside of printers and associated software, you\u2019re probably missing something.\u201d<\/p>\n

What DocuSense isn\u2019t missing are the tools to provide its customers with the best service it possibly can. No matter how they branch out in the future, having the right tools at their disposal along with tenured, certified techs, how can it go wrong?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right, it can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

DocuSense<\/strong><\/p>\n

West Chester, PA<\/p>\n

Co-Owner: Donna Melso<\/p>\n

Co-Owner: Bob Melso<\/p>\n

Service Manager: John Leotta<\/p>\n

Number of Service Techs: 5<\/p>\n

Number of pages managed by its techs: 4.5 million<\/p>\n

Why DocuSense Achieves Service Excellence:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Ranked as high as #4 in the nation in the OTSEA rankings<\/li>\n
  • Hold for parts ranges between 10-12 percent<\/li>\n
  • Call backs consistently range from 25-28 percent<\/li>\n
  • FCE runs between 60-64 percent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Ever since it was founded in 1989, DocuSense in West Chester, PA has been growing, expanding, and winning over new customers thanks to a commitment to providing superior service. As anyone who follows the comings and goings of the office technology dealer community clearly knows, superior service is something that everybody claims to offer, or at least strives for, but not everyone truly delivers, or delivers it in the same way. However, DocuSense delivers and that service excellence has been recognized with a BEI Services\/ENX Magazine Office Technology Service Excellence Award in the Diamond category for 2015. It\u2019s only been a year and a half since DocuSense first implemented BEI, but the tools they now have at their disposal along with their previous service track record has propelled them as high as #4 in the nation in Office Technology Service Excellence Award (OTSEA) rankings, an impressive feat. Let\u2019s review the numbers in a few key categories that illustrate how well DocuSense is doing. Hold for Parts runs between 10-12 percent, Call Backs consistently range from 25-28 percent, and First Call Effectiveness (FCE) ranges between 60-64 percent. Any way you break those out, those are notable numbers. Meet DocuSense DocuSense is a certified Woman Owned Business, and a member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. What started as a three-person local operation has grown into a dealership of 15 employees with a variety of national service partners. DocuSense covers a wide swath of geography from its West Chester headquarters, as far north as Princeton, NJ, south to Delaware, and East to the Jersey Shore as well as the outskirts of Harrisburg, PA. Its client base includes Fortune 1000 corporations as well as small to medium size businesses. In 2002 DocuSense became a GSA Contractor and a Xerox Peak Elite reseller. It has maintained this status every year since. One trait that helps DocuSense stand out in a competitive marketplace is its pioneering efforts in providing customers with fleet management solutions. Before fleet management was a buzz word, there was DocuSense paving the way. It\u2019s Simple, It\u2019s Service It\u2019s no surprise that DocuSense co-owner Bob Melso identifies service as the primary reason customers choose DocuSense over other options. Considering the wide geographic territory that DocuSense operates in, there\u2019s heavy competition. A proactive approach to service ensures that customers are well cared for. Virtually all customers are surveyed after each service call. The return rates for these surveys are respectable and often include valuable feedback for raising service to new levels. \u201cFor whatever reason they seem to like us,\u201d says Melso. \u201cWe have a great team, a great service manager John Leotta, and five techs on the road all day long.\u201d DocuSense techs are responsible for about 4.5 million pages per month. Certifications Make a Difference\u00a0 Although metrics are important for managing the techs and monitoring service performance, tech certifications are equally important for the dealership, its customers, as well as the techs themselves. Techs are assigned territories primarily by location and secondarily based on their certifications. That\u2019s something else that sets DocuSense apart from its competitors\u2014the experience of its techs and the certifications they possess. Cumulatively, the dealership\u2019s five techs have more than 100 years of service expertise and are certified on a wide variety of equipment, including Xerox, Toshiba, HP, and Brother. \u201cThere are a lot of certifications that have to happen to support [all this technology],\u201d emphasizes Melso. \u201cWe use the tools from BEI to help us define those territories.\u201d DocuSense supports its techs financially with bonuses for every certification they earn, something Melso believes is unique in the industry. \u201cWe sit down with our techs quarterly, review their certifications, and for every certification they have they get a bump in their salary,\u201d reports Melso. \u201cThat changes every quarter because some devices fall off the list and are no longer supported and new devices are added. They can directly influence their salary by increasing their certifications, so we never have to push too hard for them to get a certification.\u201d Back to BEI\u00a0 Even though DocuSense had a dynamite service operation before BEI, now they\u2019re even better. Melso recalls the original inspiration for giving it a try. \u201cWe were looking for a way to measure our techs and provide them with feedback and John our service manager was asking \u2018Why can\u2019t we incent them a little bit better so they can see the fruits of their labor a little more?\u2019\u201d Working with their BEI rep, DocuSense was presented with ideas for activity, FCE, and other areas that could raise service levels to even higher peaks. \u201cWe use a simple method to measure our techs,\u201d explains Melso. \u201cIf they meet certain thresholds they get a nice check.\u201d The results of those metrics are shared with the techs every two months in face-to-face meetings. Did management have to show the techs the money before they saw the value in the metrics? Melso doesn\u2019t think so; rather he says the techs saw the promise of having these new methods of measuring activity and performance immediately. \u201cWe basically measure their productive hours and their efficiency,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they meet their thresholds on efficiency\u201487 percent\u2014they get a bonus. It\u2019s all or nothing, they can\u2019t fall underneath or they don\u2019t get the bonus.\u201d Despite covering different geographies, DocuSense\u2019s techs take a team approach to service. To help promote teamwork DocuSense\u2019s service manager measures the team as a whole on productive hours and efficiency. If they meet a threshold as a group, they\u2019ll receive another bonus. \u201cPart of their bonus is their individual contribution and another part is how the team is performing,\u201d states Melso. Improvements didn\u2019t happen overnight and DocuSense management wasn\u2019t expecting it to. \u201cYou don\u2019t go for the brass ring right away,\u201d acknowledges Melso. \u201cEvery six months we raised it to where we thought it should be and they\u2019ve been able to meet those goals. They were very responsive. Where we\u2019ve made the best strides is reducing the number of call backs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2195],"tags":[115,2489,2488,2486,2487,328,2201],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14861"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14861"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14867,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14861\/revisions\/14867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}