No matter what industry you’re in, putting the customer first is important. Great customer service touches everything from developing products to delivering services.
But this is easier said than done. Most companies can believe they’re providing good customer service, but don’t realize when or where they’re falling short. Like others, Command Access also believe they’re providing great customer service, but is this more than words? In this post, we explore the areas where they are paying attention and how they’re creating customer loyalty.
Lack of Good Customer Service Births Command Access
Command Access was born from the contract hardware world, where their sister company often dealt with manufacturers of electrified hardware. They found themselves paying premium prices, and worse, struggling with long lead times for electrified products.
They felt the experience in dealing with those vendors was transactional and they didn't feel valued, seen or listened to. This frustration led to the establishment of Command Access as a new company, spun off from their now sister company. It lit a fire under the new owner to reverse everything they had been through before and put the customer at the center of everything they do. They have made it a company culture to treat customers as teammates, and value them as people first. Bottom line, their customer service skills were born from experience.
Knowledgeable Technical Services
Having a knowledgeable support team that has been in the field is an important factor for Command Access hires. It means they can truly understand what the customers are going through when they’re at the door and have a product that’s not working correctly.
An example of such a hire is John Van Adrighem. Around 15 years ago he worked at Cal State University and was the owner of a lock shop who installed over 500 Command Access products. He wanted to get out of the field after being there for so many years but wanted to stay connected to the industry. He loved using Command Access, putting him in an ideal position to help customers with installations in real word applications.
He's able to not only support Command Access products, but help technicians diagnose other potential mechanical or access control issues that could be preventing the product from working as designed. By being in their shoes before, he understands their pain and walks through problems step by step, utilizing FaceTime in many cases, to get the issue solved.
Incorporating Feedback
Input from technicians has led directly to product changes for Command Access as well. For example, in the release of an updated product, the Latch Retraction kit for the Adams Rite 8000 - MLRK1-AR, they learned customers were finding the improper location for the kit at times. Tech support had a quick meeting with the lead on the project to inform them of the problem. Command Access likes to keep an extra close eye on new kits, and engineering updated the kit to make it seamless for it to find its correct spot. With their 3D printers, the design was implemented in a week.
Whether it's a quick improvement that can be made as a running change or making the tough call to kick off a full redesign, technical support feedback from the field and direct customer feedback is highly influential. After gathering feedback from their team, they learned the vendor for a crucial component of their MLRK1 was unable to hit the tolerances required, so the decision to do a full overhaul was made. Considering feedback of these difficulties were addressed in the redesign.
Products are often created based on customer feedback and requests, like their Voltage Converter Module. The module was designed to solve the problem of stepping 24V on an existing power supply to 12V to work with the product on site. It all started with one customer contact who asked if they could make one that steps down 30V to 24V because the access control system was putting out too high of voltage. Many installers of electrified hardware will not have the power supply under their scope, and access control power supplies are not designed for electrified hardware so it can become a big issue. A simple fix such as the voltage converter for one installer was sent to engineering and in a few weeks, the order shipped for the new VC3024.
Another example of this is their field tester. As their team traveled around, they saw there was no good solution for installers to troubleshoot electrified hardware besides carrying around a big power supply with an extension cord. They had installers come to them who had created their own tester powered off a drill battery and asked them to make the tool for them.
"People are critical to our existence and we want to be a crucial part of theirs" - Mateo Kristoff, VP Sales & Marketing at Command Access (Feature in-line on the site)
Connected Departments for Better Customer Service
Command Access holds monthly meetings with tech-support and engineering to gather feedback from all departments. This not only ensures every department is connected, but it means no one is operating on assumptions for what support the customer needs.
They use this real-time feedback to inform the resources they need to create in order to enhance their customers' experience and confidence. For example, when a customer was facing power supply issues, it drove them to do more testing internally to provide them with better information on what power supplies work best for their latch traction products. Instead of relying on general word of mouth for improvements, these dedicated meetings establish a formal way of addressing them.
Always Available
Something as simple as answering the phone with a live voice is important to Command Access and their customer service team. They meet customers with a voice, not an automated answering machine. It was ingrained in them from their own experience with unresponsive manufactures who didn’t value true customer interactions. Their customer support team is always a phone call away, knowing that frustration can mount from simply not being able to get someone on the line.
Similarly, in-house manufacturing and development allows Command Access to provide more prompt solutions. Command Access products are manufactured in-house, so they’re able to take urgent requests and have expedited orders in 24 to 72 hours when installers are facing time constraints. When a last-minute order comes in, you can see the email chain of all Command’s internal departments collaborating to make it happen for the customer in under eight hours.
Valuing customer relationships also means continuing to listen and support those who are using older products and services, and not abandoning them in favor of those who have updated to the latest and greatest product they have put out. For example, the Command Access MLRK (Motorized Latch Retraction Kit) line covers nearly every grade 1 exit device in the US and Canada market and can be retrofitted to existing exit devices up to 20 years old. Command Access wants loyal customers to be supported for the long term, no matter which product line they use.
Give Customers Peace of Mind
Command Access’ commitment to high quality products is backed by an industry-high 3-year warranty at a more competitive price, standing behind anything under their brand name.
They not only manufacture in the US, but quality control is all done in the United States as well. Testing is done to failure, maintain strict oversight and accountability throughout the entire production process. Valuing customer satisfaction and creating happy customers also means conducting rigorous testing and quality assurance measures to ensure the durability and performance of their product or service.