AFTER-SALES SERVICES WIN CUSTOMERS

He is Nordic director of after-sales at Elkjøp, and we meet him before the summer at Elkjøp’s Campus training fair at Gardermoen.

He makes it clear that after-sales affects customer loyalty, and says that Elkjøp is now up and running with its new, in-house-developed service system.

– This handles half a million repairs and three million credit enquiries annually. It was no easy task to find a standard programme for this, so we decided to build it ourselves, using our own in-house IT resources. We are very, very proud of this, Haakon Lavik-Andersen tells the trade magazine Elektronikkbransjen.

Elcare in Kongsvinger

He says Elkjøp has invested significantly in its after-sales operations in recent years. The in-house-developed service system is one part of the initiative. Another is the Elcare workshop in Kongsvinger.

– We are the only consumer electronics chain to own our own workshop in the Nordic region, and we will continue to be the best at helping customers, says Lavik-Andersen.

– At the same time, we have managed to make the workshop neutral and independent, so that it can also carry out repairs for others, says Lavik-Andersen.

– Whether we repair for our own customers or those of others is actually secondary to us. Above all, we want to carry out repairs in the Nordic region, create jobs and help customers where needed, he says.

Lavik-Andersen has been Nordic after-sales director for just over two years and believes the area is becoming increasingly important.

– Customer demands are higher, the EU is driving forward the ‘Right to Repair’, and other forces are making this increasingly important, he says.

Brings together 300 employees

At Campus, the after-sales department, After Sales Operations (ASO), has brought together 600 employees.

– Everything here is about preparing employees for customer interactions, and ensuring they have the expertise and confidence to know what we can do and how we do it. Training and engagement are the two most important keywords, says Lavik-Andersen.

A total of around 4,500 people work in operations, customer reception, service and support in Elkjøp’s Nordic stores.

During Campus, the department is gathered in a dedicated area. Exhibitors include both internal support functions and external suppliers of services and accessories.

– After-sales is an active investment in the customer and in our employees. Our employees care about the customer, and give us feedback when we need to change processes or routines, because customers expect this, says Lavik-Andersen.

Responsibility for waste

He believes the electronics industry has a major responsibility for handling electronic waste.

– We must have good control of the return schemes in all stores, he says.

Repair and reuse are central to the work going forward.

– We are investing in repairs and want to carry out more of them. We have a clear ambition for an increasing share of turnover to be circular, meaning turnover within repairs, circular services and recycling, says Lavik-Andersen.