Successful Appreciative Inquiry Resolves Challenging Poor Customer Service Issue - Essay Sample

Introduction

Our organization (electronics repair and consulting company) performed the appreciative inquiry approach successfully three months ago. We were faced with the most challenging issue (addressing poor customer service)-an issue we tackled so right that it is a thing of the past now. The problem started six months ago when we (Information technology department-of which I am a member) detected an advancement in the telecommunications devices that had been procured by our company. As the IT team, we were required to install the equipment and configure them to required standards for optimal service to our customers. The problem occurred when no member of our team was technologically versed with this equipment, meaning we had to familiarize ourselves with the devices before installing them. This delayed installation of these vital telecommunication devices affected the whole organization and crippled service delivery to our customers.

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As a result, the management team was called into action and we were summoned by the board of directors to address this issue. We explained what had caused the issue, but to our surprise, the human resource team proposed that the whole IT team to be disbanded and a new one that was proficient with this new equipment to be hired immediately. The manager is the individual who came to our rescue, where she suggested the use of the appreciative inquiry process to tackle the problem. All departments were involved in this 4D cycle (discovery, dream, design, and destiny) (Lewis, Passmore, & Cantore, 2011).

All employees in our organization were interviewed. There was a unanimous verdict that the IT team has played an important role in enabling the company to reach wherever it is now (discovery). Our major contribution is because the IT department together with the operations department constitutes over 90% of the workforce in our company. The two departments are also the ones mandated with the repair and consultation services that the company offers. Sacking all members of the IT department meant a loss of a vital workforce that knows the history and running of the organization. Rehiring new IT employees would also be very expensive. The implications of hiring a completely new team as suggested by the human resource department were considered and viewed unnecessarily expensive (dream). It was designed that we (IT department) would be given three months to familiarize ourselves with the new devices (design). In the meantime, the telecommunication equipment we were using earlier was to serve the company temporarily for the three months, after which the newly acquired would take over (destiny). As of now, everything is in place and working smoothly as outlined by the 4D cycle (appreciative inquiry).

An appreciative inquiry approach is the best approach to find and tackle problems facing all the teams in our organization. The appreciative inquiry approach is better than the deficit-based consulting approach. The human resource team was effectively applying the deficit-based approach. The problem that was diagnosed as a lack of proficiency in the IT team with the newly-acquired, which warranted a solution of acquiring individuals with the skills required for the workability of the new equipment. Although the suggestion could have worked, the step could also lead to huge losses to the company. With the use of appreciative inquiry, our company enjoyed the benefits of a positive potential-with focus on getting the best from the past, now, and the future (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2010).

References

Lewis, S., Passmore, J., & Cantore, S. (2011). Appreciative inquiry: How do you do it? In Appreciative inquiry for change management: Using AI to facilitate organizational development. London, England: Kogan Page Publishers. ISBN: 978-0-7494-5071-7

Whitney, D. D., & Trosten-Bloom, A. (2010). What is appreciative inquiry? In The power of appreciative inquiry: A practical guide to positive change (pp. 1-21). Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. ISBN: 1-57675-226-7