Customer Concerns Under Upstack Blue Sky - Part 2
Customer Concerns Under Upstack Blue Sky - Part 2
We talked about customer concerns and how we are facing them here at Upstack.
As we already mentioned, we desire to deliver high value to our clients, and for that, the first thing we do is to pay attention to the objectives and goals we have set with our clients, to be responsive and the most important part - to solve the potential problems that may arise.
For that, as promised – we will continue with the second part of this blog topic in which Robert, Head of CSM department, will present our problem-solving process and also he will explain the essential steps which must be achieved for the customer concerns to disappear and the workflow to run smoothly.
Let's get into the subject and see how Robert answered to our questions!
"How do we identify if there is an issue on a project?
Through keeping a constant feedback loop open with our clients and teams. The Upstack Success department works very much like a research unit, compiling data, analyzing it and using it to formulate the next set of assumptions and questions. This is called Qualitative data gathering and we find it much more effective, compared to Quantitative (numerical) data gathering.
How do we analyze a potential issue?
We check our existing knowledge of the project, by assessing the feedback of both the client and developer to date.
We ask a number of follow up questions so that we can ensure that we have a complete picture.
The issue is then analyzed objectively, with the sole focus of fostering excellent working relationships and ensuring that our talent delivers excellent work.
Depending on the nature of the problem, your Upstack Success Manager will request several things, from both the client and the team, which can range from:
• A very simple description of the issue (comparing expectations to reality)
• Permission for Git to analyze recent work
• Access to Slack to analyze team communications
• A better understanding of desired outcomes and workflow requirements
All of the above help us formulate a clearer picture of not only the concern that is in focus at the moment but of the team dynamic, expectations and other factors which (in the long term) have the potential to become threats. We strive to provide our clients with sustainable solutions, which help them fix the existing problem, and also assist their project in the long term.
Plan?
Yes, once we have a good enough picture of the issue and its root cause, we then proceed to come up with a set of proposals, you can call it a plan with various approaches to resolving the issue. These proposals will be presented in the form of a report and the process of compiling the report could be considered an operational audit.
Usually, as we are discussing communication, we will focus on methods and tools that can facilitate communication and transparency within the remote workspace.
In general, we find that clients and teams that have decided to go remote with some, or all of their workforce, have the right attitude to make this work but sometimes might need a bit of guidance. That is what Upstack excels at, we are a truly remote organization, with extensive experience in supporting organizations of all shapes and sizes to achieve their software development goals, and we are constantly learning and trying to improve our processes.
Implementation?
As we strive to be as AGILE as possible, we do not consider our proposals as steps that are set in stone. No, quite the opposite, once we have the proposals ready we generally schedule a call with our client and their team and discuss these proposals, intending to come up with an agreed plan of action, rather than something that is imposed from the top-down.
This approach strives to ensure that the entire unit is in agreement with a new course of action, which generally tends to bring higher levels of involvement during the implementation of the new processes, as the entire team considers the change something of value, rather than a top-down decision.
In conclusion...
A lot of the business owners, entrepreneurs and stakeholders reading this will probably still be on the fence with regards to remote work. While I accept that there are hurdles, the primary unique selling point of remote work is that your organization can access top talent, without geographical and budgetary confines, which will deliver more efficiently. Remote work done right is one of the most forward-thinking ways of working, and when you have a partner like Upstack, a partner which focuses on excellent results you know you are doing it right!"
Robert Dragne, Head of Success Department
One final takeaway
We create the greatest value, impact, and differentiation by integrating what we do in the context of the customer real concern!
The most important goal we've achieved is being able to think through the process quickly and easily and to get to the point where we are not bringing the problem in front of the client anymore, but we are bringing the solution instead!