How Would You Define ‘Excellent Customer Service’?

Many would describe “excellent customer service” as going beyond what a customer needs. The concept not only drives to provide exceptional support in a timely fashion but sets a staple in the customer service industry to do everything possible to achieve customer satisfaction.

In Procurement, the parameters of excellent customer service conveniently all start with the same first letter:  Professionalism, Patience and a “People-first” attitude.

One vendor that meets the criteria for excellent customer service is PlanetBids, which has been providing e-procurement solutions since 2000. PlanetBids continues to successfully assist their customers’ outreach efforts to suppliers while gaining greater control and visibility over spend and streamlining many traditional time-consuming procurement practices.

I brought PlanetBids’ SaaS (software as a service) solution to East Side Union High School District in 2015 when I was the district’s Director of Bond Purchasing & Contracts. Today the district still relies on PlanetBids, using all but one of the PB System™ interconnected modules.

PlanetBids recognizes that providing support is crucial to building a brand and improving customer loyalty. The employees at PlanetBids understand the needs of procurement professionals in the public, private, education and non-profit sectors because they are well-educated and have extensive experience in the field of e-procurement and solicitation management. Those in PlanetBids’ client support team all have actual experience working in procurement for government agencies.

There are eProcurement providers that sell the product, then walk away. Alan Zavian, PlanetBids CEO and Co-Founder, says, “We define and measure the success of our PB System implementation beyond functionality, reporting, technical requirements, etc. We measure its true success by making sure all internal users of an organization/agency utilize the system to its full extent and reap the benefits 100% for many years to come.”

While PlanetBids offers many webinars during the year and free monthly workshops designed to help clients utilize the features within the system more effectively, “it’s important to note that the staff at PlanetBids is readily available to assist,” says Juliette Terry, Senior Manager of Procurement Services for the Sacramento Regional Transit District.

“Bidding can be stressful at times, and one of PlanetBids’ staff was very helpful and comforting in a panic situation that I had with one of my bids,” says Amir K. Ilkhanipour, senior civil engineer for the City of San Clemente.

PlanetBids not only supports its 300+ clients, but also has support staff for clients’ vendors and contractors. All inquiries about using the PB System™ can be accessed by contacting PlanetBids staff or utilizing their easy-to-use ticketing system.

“What makes the difference between a fair online RFP system and an excellent one is when you need help,” says John Tamura, formerly interim director of procurement and risk management for El Camino College and now at Long Beach Unified School District. “Instead of waiting days for support or to have a simple question answered, PlanetBids meets and exceeds my expectations. Every time. I have my simple questions answered in minutes by email or phone and any technical glitches resolved in one business day. That is no small feat for any company, large or small, to achieve that level of customer service and support.”

It is proven that PlanetBids takes customer service very seriously. They listen to their clients. It is part of their business brand. Clients find comfort knowing that PlanetBids will be there every day to assist with whatever needs they have and will give consistent, accurate and timely service. That certainly was a priority for me in my career as a school business administrator.

Janice Unger was a career school administrator, most recently Director of Bond Purchasing & Contracts at East Side Union High School District. Upon her retirement in 2020, she has been doing consulting work, including for PlanetBids.

Want to know more?

PlanetBids, Inc is a WBE, SBE & US Corporation celebrating over 22 years of excellence. For a demonstration, go to  Schedule a Demo  or call us at 818.992.1771.