WyeValve_Exercise1
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School
New York University *
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Course
MISC
Subject
Industrial Engineering
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by DoctorPartridgeMaster1021
Instructions
Step 1.-
After reading the Wye & Valve Plumbing Incident, the team will diagnose Wye & Valve's
customer service issues and discuss specific ways the retailer can improve customer service at the
company. The discussion should explain whether and in what ways each MARS element can guide
better customer service. All four elements of the MARS model should be considered.
Step 2.-
The team summarizes its recommendations on flip chart paper or presentation slide. Each
recommendation should be assigned under one of the four MARS elements (e.g. a strategy to improve
employee motivation would be stated under the "M” category).
Step 3.-
The class debriefing will discuss the strategies systematically for each MARS element. For
example, the class will review the "M" strategies across teams and comment on similarities and
differences among those recommendations.
The Wye & Valve Plumbing
Incident
Wye & Valve Plumbing is a plumbing supplies retailer with three dozen stores in one region of the
United
States. The company mainly sells plumbing supplies (valves. fittings. pipes, etc.) to tradespeople
as well as to do-it-yourself (DIY) customers trying to fix specific plumbing
problems in their home. The
stores are of moderate size with the most common supplies and tools located in aisles where customers
can browse and select. However. Items that are specialized
(less often purchased) or are small yet
expensive are retrievable only by staff in an area
behind the main customer desk.
Tradespeople understand most plumbing supplies and tools, but are sometimes unaware of new
products as well as
parts required for tasks they have seldom performed
in the past. DIY
customers
have limited
knowledge about fixing specific plumbing problems other than their preliminary internet
searches. Usually, the plumbing tasks attempted
by DIY customers
can be done safely with the
correct parts, tools, and instructions, but some plumbing tasks are too risky for most DIY
customers to attempt.
There are thousands of plumbing
parts and tools, so it takes considerable time and experience to learn
each
item’s function and variations. Fortunately, many of Wye &
Valve's retail staff were once plumbers
who moved
late career into retail work or desired a change in working conditions. Wye &
Valve also
provides regular training sessions to update staff about
new products and techniques: the company also
has sessions in which employees share core plumbing
knowledge.
Wye & Valve Plumbing received survey feedback that many DIY customers
and some tradespeople give
Wye & Valve Plumbing
below average customer service
ratings. One complaint
is that employees
assume customers
know what parts and tools they need, and
do not
actively volunteer information or
recommendations. A second complaint
is that
many staff seem to be abrupt
or terse when customers ask
for supplies or seek specific information. They are particularly inhospitable when asked for specialized
parts that only staff can retrieve. The retailer wants to develop a
multipronged strategy to improve
customer
service in its stores.
The MARS Model
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