Today, Godrej-GE Appliances Limited has a whole team of terminators - called Buddy Techs - in the field, to trap and nip customer complaints in the bud. With accurate feedback on problems in the field now merely a phone call away from Godrej GE's headquarters, the company has drastically cut down the feedback cycle - from the consumer to the company - with the help of Buddy Tech Teams.

Inspired by a tool pioneered by joint-venture partner GE in the USA, Godrej-GE has appointed a team of 16 experienced technicians who are empowered to contact the head-quarters directly on field experiences. This helps theengineering and manufacturing teams at the company plants to work quickly on the direct feedback for corrective actions to be implemented on an urgent basis.

``The tool addresses the need to get hold of crucial information faster. The key information which requires immediate action is mostly out in the field. Here, our empowered teams of technicians, or the `Buddy Techs' help us plug the gaps,'' says Godrej-GE Appliances' managing director Vijay M Crishna.The Buddy Techs are expected to be up-to-date with the consumer feedback, service related problems and other complaints related to Godrej-GE Appliances sold in their designated areas.

The difference? Information no longer has to percolate through the long-winded route of customer to dealer to local service center to company headquarter. Thanks to the Buddy Techs, the company can obtain information about service- and quality-related issues in real time.

The company intends to increase the size of the team by eight over the next six months. The existing16 Buddy Techs have been chosen from Godrej-GE's team of service technicians. A technician has to have a minimum of 12 years of experience to become a Buddy Tech. ``While looking out for Buddy Tech's we look for qualifications like an above-average knowledge of area of work and high enthusiasm levels, amongst prospective candidates,'' says Godrej-GE Appliances Limited's vice-president service division, V Subramaniam.

``Having identified a Buddy Tech, we try to empower them with the maximum information about the company and products,'' informs Crishna. As part of the process, Godrej-GE has designed elaborate training programmes for the benefit of the teams.

The company organises dedicated training modules for the Buddy Techs four times in a year. Besides this, the teams are briefed about latest product information and developments once every quarter. ``We provide access to reading material and other sources of information to the Buddy Tech teams as well,'' says Subramaniam. The Buddy Tech teams, on theirpart, have made their contribution to the company more than once in the past one-and-a-half years. Crishna cites incidents where the teams have helped the company solve curious incidents of rodents attacking the Godrej Appliances in Tamil Nadu one year ago or investigated reports of a Godrej refrigerator causing a fire on the first floor of a Pune building.

``Although few and far between, incidents like these impact the company's image in a big way. Consumer trust in our ability to service our own appliances takes a beating,'' says Crishna. ``Our regular service channel might not have the capability of addressing each and every problem, moreover by the time the company learns of the problem much of the damage is already done. To that extent, the Buddy Techs have had a role to play,'' he adds.

The company gives out small tokens of appreciation to the Buddy Techs from time to time. ``To encourage the team we give out small gifts or provide recognition in the form of a mention in the company's internalmagazine from time to time,'' says Subramaniam.

However there is little in terms of rewards that distinguishes a Buddy Tech from the other technicians. So does that act as a demotivator? As an observer comments: ``Consumer durable companies loose experienced and skillful technicians to the competition at the drop of a hat.''

``We are in the process of devising a more tangible and regular system of rewarding the team,'' admits Subramaniam. Godrej-GE Appliances can certainly make the most of the industry's largest base of service personnel that it has at its disposal -- if it bonds with its buddies.