Great Customer Service Today Will Mean U.S. Government Contracts Tomorrow

Posted by Irv on March 16th, 2006

How to Provide Good Customer Service on All U.S. Government Contracts

U.S. government contracts involve dealing with an exacting customer whose many rules are designed to protect taxpayer dollars. To maintain a positive relationship with these buyers, you must provide good customer service on all U.S. government contracts.

The key player on government contracts is the project manager. He or she acts as a liaison between the project team and management and keeps the job under control and on schedule. This person also typically serves as the primary contact between your company and the government. Strong communication skills and excellent customer service are key.

Customer Service Research for U.S. Government Contracts

A maxim of good business holds true for government contracts, too: know your customer. Do some customer service research and find out what you can about the agency and its functions. Keep an open line of communication with the U.S. government contracting officer to ensure that the job is done to the agency’s specifications. Make sure that the agency can get responses quickly and capably, thus preventing problems and protecting your reputation.

Since U.S. government contracts stipulate in detail what the agency wants, your job, simply put, is to meet those demands. Don’t try to provide more or less than is necessary without talking to the agency first. You probably won’t get brownie points for extra work and you could be severely penalized for underperformance.

Two core points in U.S. government contacts are the delivery time and budget. You might not be able to finish the project early, but being late can get you in big trouble - and might keep you from getting other contracts. Also, think of the budget as being cast in stone, unless the contract has provisions for price adjustments. This means you may have to cut into your profits or even lose money to meet agency demands.

Customer Service Considerations

Scheduling: Make sure that interim meetings, briefings and inspections are planned in ways that allow input from the agency while giving you time to respond. Dealing with problems early on U.S. government contracts can prevent crises later and is a good customer service practice.

Inventory: Understanding what resources you have on hand that can meet the U.S. government contract’s demands. Knowing what needs to be changed or added to your company’s routine to make the deadline provides good customer service.

Subcontracting: If time, budget and regulations become a problem, consider looking for a partner on U.S. government contracts. A subcontractor may be able to take some chores off your hands, save you money and allow you to focus on your core competencies. But make sure you first double-check your contract for any clauses prohibiting or restricting subcontractors on U.S government contracts.

Support: Check the U.S. government contract to see what services you may be expected to provide after delivery. Do you need to make an on-site installation? Will there be follow-up meetings for your U.S. government contracts? Do you need to provide phone-based customer service support?

Online help: Can you use your company Web site to improve relations and communication through online customer service functions? Can plans, proposals, status reports and other details be placed online so that a contracting officer or other party can get the latest information on U.S. government contracts quickly?

Sell yourself: When dealing with the agency, show that you’re able to handle its contract needs and provide superior customer service. Demonstrate that you are the best in your field and are more reliable than the competition. The impression you leave will give the contracting officers a sense of what your company can do beyond your current U.S. government contracts and affect future contracts.

Watch the red tape: U.S. government contracts are notorious for rules that complicate vendors’ lives. Make sure you know what hurdles you face and be ready to deal with them. Falsifying on requirements can only cause headaches and possibly even legal troubles.

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