covey - ps paradigm of customer service

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The PS Paradigm of Customer Service

Roice N. Krueger

July 1991

The PS Paradigm provides a frame of reference for diagnosingand treating your customer service problems.

Many companies today are focusing on quality and continuous improvement; however,

many forget that that quality is ultimately defined by the customer. For example, in our

work with Procter & Gamble, we talk a lot about the importance of alignment with themission statement. That raised the question, "How well do we walk our service talk?"

"Do the people on our team live the mission, and is it aligned with our strategy? Do we

try to build the skills and staff to work effectively inside a system that supports ourbusiness objectives? Well, after going through a little self-assessment, we decided that we

could improve. And so we sent Corinne Barr, my administrative assistant, to P&G to

evaluate the quality of our service. She came back with a more complete assessment ofthe strengths and weaknesses of our service to this highly valued customer. We took

immediate action on the weaknesses, and over time, managed to turn mediocrity into

service excellence, as defined and recognized by the customer.

Sometimes I'm shocked at how slow sales and service reps can be at personalizing orcustomizing their approach to a customer who is standing right in front of them. For

example, a few years ago, I wanted to purchase a top for the back of my pick-up truck.

One day while driving my nine-year-old daughter to an appointment, I decided to stopbriefly at a dealership to price the units on display. Upon entering the showroom, we

were met and greeted by a young woman who smiled and seemed pleasant. I then said, "I

have only two or three minutes. I just want to know what these models cost. Can you helpme?" The woman launched into a sales monologue, telling me about the various featuresand the relative strengths of each.

I gave her the time-out signal. I then said, "Now, I need to make myself clear. I'm in a

hurry. I just need some price information; I will come back later to shop and compare

features. Again, she started into her canned pitch. I noticed that she nervously glancedtoward a mirrored window at the back of the showroom. I stopped her again and said,

"That's strike two. One more strike, and we'll be out of here. Just tell me the prices of the

styles you have available." And then, for the third time, she proceeded with this diatribe.

In frustration, I turned and started to leave the showroom with my daughter in hand. I sawthe sales woman look toward the back of the showroom and shrug her shoulders. We next

heard a voice yelling from behind the mirrored window: "Never mind. Let the dumb son-

of-a-bitch go." In this case, the customer service structure was right; the sales personlooked right; the strategy was okay; but the system was totally inflexible and

unresponsive to the customer's needs. Of course, I never went back, and worse, I've

dissuaded many others from ever shopping there.


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The point of this story is that our paradigm of customer service must be complete. The PS

Paradigm gives us a comprehensive diagnostic tool which allows us to examine the

complete organization for customer service alignment.

People are the source of service solutions when they are empowered to make customer-

friendly decisions and are treated like the best customers are treated. They should alsobuy into the shared values and principles of the organization as they control the physical

and financial assets. When applying those assets, their focus must be on customerservice. Self you, yourself, and each and every other self represents the most important

person in the organization.

Customer service cannot be seen as a delegated task. Each person must take personalresponsibility with the attitude, "I am customer service." Self-esteem, motivation,

commitment, and skills are required to weave the thread of customer service into the

fabric of daily work. Shared values and principles represent the focus of the

organization, the unifying causes and directions. These should be embodied in the

company mission statement, which serves as a constitution for the entire organization.

Strategy is the formula for delivering service, an agreed upon method for implementing

the shared vision and principles. It establishes an effective competitive position for the

company and is valued by customers. It should be aligned with the environmentalrealities and constantly improved by feedback and market research.

Stream completes the strategic "spine" of the organization. The stream is the environment

the organization operates in: where the customers and competitors are. On a departmentlevel, the "stream" becomes other departments in the organization. For a multi-national

corporation, the "stream" is the entire world.

Skills are needed as people begin to implement the strategy in the stream. Such skills as

communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and win-win analysis are thepractical "how tos" that must be enhanced through training always with the focus on

customer service. Both character and competence are required of each person to exceed

customer expectations.

Style, likewise, must reinforce the customer focus. The predominant style is to treatinternal people the same way you want your external customers to be treated. Listening,

small kindnesses, constant communication, and a willingness to receive feedback are

some of the key style characteristics. Such modeled interaction is consistent with

customer service standards. Systems alignment with customer service is particularlyimportant. These are the physical and procedural apparatus that the people have as

resources to meet the needs of the customer. The design of these systems must be aligned

so that customer service is facilitated, not inhibited. Systems must be customer friendly.This includes financial reward, measurement and feedback processes, stakeholder

information systems, and the physical aspects of the organization and its products.

Structure must also be supportive of the customer focus.


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Operationally, the organization must be structured to meet customer needs. Issues that

detract from servicing the customer must be minimized. People must be empowered to

make on-the-spot decisions to improve customer service. The shared values andprinciples become the operating guidelines at such moments of truth. By using the PS

Paradigm of customer service to analyze your organization's service effectiveness, you

can highlight the strengths and the weaknesses and then align all the elements to create aquality custome service culture.

For example, on my first trip to Singapore, I decided to stay at the Sheraton Towers.

When I checked in, I was immediately greeted by a doorman who took my bag, sat me

down in a very comfortable chair, called the reservation desk and announced my arrival.Having travelled for two days, I was very pleased with that welcome. I was then met by a

butler who escorted me to my room and helped me unpack my bags. He then left to press

some clothes at no extra charge. The next day, I received an embossed set of luggage tagsand a brochure on how I might enjoy my stay in Singapore even more. Everywhere I

went in the hotel, people called me by name. That surprised me. But the biggest surprise

came on a return trip three months later. As I was checking in, three new people calledme by name! How did they do that? Now, when I go to Singapore, there is only one place

to stay the Sheraton Towers. This is a case of total alignment in the PS paradigm. Every

person and detail in the entire organization is focused on the customer. They all

understand the importance of the customer.

covey - ps paradigm of customer service

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