Interko dedicates department to after-sales service

INTERKO – the world’s leading designer, manufacturer and installer of cutting-edge ripening rooms for fresh fruit – has established a dedicated after-sales service department at its headquarters in the Netherlands to ensure customer satisfaction and to drive brand loyalty.Directed by Dan Miller, Interko’s Commercial Office Coordinator, and assisted by Astrid Korving, Customer Support Manager, the department has been operational for three months, and looks after customers who operate technology that has been manufactured and installed by Interko.Already, it is receiving excellent feedback by quickly and efficiently dealing with any existing customer query, small or large. Importantly, every customer is responded to personally by Miller, who decides the appropriate steps to be taken, and monitors the subsequent procedure.Shortly, the after-sales department will launch and manage an extended one-year warranty scheme. This will further help Interko’s customers ensure that their ripening rooms continue operating at maximum efficiency in order to achieve the lowest operational costs and the highest profitability.Miller explains: “Interko has the best fruit ripening solutions on the market; we’re miles ahead when it comes to engineering. Now we want our after-sales care to mirror that level of expertise; to provide a continuity of the high quality reputation for which we are known.”Interko’s Managing Director/Partner Chris Maat adds: “Customer experience is a major focus for Interko in 2019. Our new after-sales service department will professionalise Interko’s approach to guiding existing customers, and expedite the speed at which we can assist them.“So far, it is proving successful. Our customers are pleased with the changes made, and there is more to come. Going forward, Dan will be responsible for evolving the department as we continue to go the extra mile for customer satisfaction.”While Interko has always looked after its customers, as the business has grown the team has recognised the need to put in place a formal structure to manage its customer service approach in the most effective way possible.Miller continues: “It’s really important that our customers feel looked after, that they are happy and that they know they have access to the right technical knowledge and assistance to continue operating our machinery and technology optimally.”As a first step, Interko has created a dedicated and direct email address for customers to submit any query, feedback, problem or complaint. Miller responds personally to all emails sent to this address, while any issues raised are allocated a unique customer number that is logged into Interko’s after-care service system to track and trace all communication.Miller comments: “This is about keeping our customers informed, first and foremost. We issue a series of emails to confirm when we have received their email, what response we have actioned, and when it has been solved. This is all vital information to ensure customers are kept in the loop, in real time.”As well as communicating this point of contact to its current customer base, any coolers manufactured by Interko now feature a special sticker detailing the new after-sales email address, and how to contact Interko in the event of a problem.Additionally, Interko’s coolers now feature a QR (quick response) code for customers to scan after delivery. This automatically sends an email to Interko to indicate the pressure of the cooler on arrival, allowing the after-sales service team to verify whether the level is correct.Next up, Interko will roll-out its new, aforementioned extended one-year warranty scheme to help customers ensure their systems remain in good working order.Miller reveals: “One month before the standard first-year manufacturer’s warranty expires, Interko’s lead engineer will visit the customer’s ripening room/s. At that point, he will assess any necessary repairs that would be covered under the warranty, as well as provide a quote for fixes outside of the warranty.“Once our engineer has certified that the room/s is/are in good working order, we can offer an extended one-year warranty cover. This comes back to Interko ensuring that every ripening room we manufacture continues to operate at maximum efficiency, with the lowest running costs and highest profitability for the user.” After-sales service departmentDan Miller / Astrid Korvingaftersales@interko.comTel: +31 (0)79 593 2581  About InterkoInterko is the global leader for the design, manufacture and installation of cost-effective, high quality and low-maintenance ripening rooms for fresh fruit, and cooling systems for the horticulture sector. Founded over 50 years ago, Interko develops precise, advanced and energy-efficient systems that are built to last. Since its creation, Interko has installed over 7,000 ripening rooms for bananas, avocados, mangoes, papayas and tomatoes – the earliest of which are still in operation and performing well today. Every year Interko installs around 200 ripening rooms. PictureOne of Interko's new after-sales services: a QR code pressure test for coolers