Customers
demand it and companies say they have it, but do they really understand
it? The “it” is customer service, a frequent topic of
discussion in business circles over the past several years and one
that is gaining increasing attention as businesses compete worldwide
for customers and profits.
In a nutshell,
customer service is whatever the customer thinks it is. One customer
might see it as quality products and good prices, another might
see it as quick response time, while yet another might define it
as friendly, knowledgeable employees. Customer service is all these
things—and more.
No matter
what products or services you are selling, it is critical that you
make customer service a priority. Too many businesses spend millions
of dollars on advertising to attract customers and then drive them
away with bad or non-existent customer service. If you want to keep
the customers your advertising brings through the door, it’s
imperative that you provide exceptional customer service.
When attempting
to provide exceptional customer service, you must recognize that
95 percent of the factors that determine the reputation of your
company among customers and potential customers are in the hands
of your front-line service employees. That means you must give those
employees the training—and the authority—to see that your
customers are satisfied, not only with your products and services,
but with the experience they have in doing business with you.
Look at customer
service, not as an expense, but as a high-yield investment. Exceptional
customer service builds loyalty, which builds profits. Research
shows that satisfied customers not only buy more, they buy more
often. According to a study by the American Management Association,
patronage by loyal customers yields 65 percent of a typical company’s
volume.
The larger
your base of loyal customers, the less money you will need to spend
on advertising and marketing. Speaking of advertising, it’s
important to note that no advertising is more effective than word
of mouth. Your satisfied customers telling others about the exceptional
service you have provided has more credibility than anything you
can put in print or broadcast via radio or TV.
Customer service
is a moving target. It has no definitive parameters. It is whatever
your customers think it is. There are, however, some basic elements
that can be easily identified. They include the following:
Knowledgeable
employees.
They not only
must know as much as humanly possible about your company’s
products and services, they must be able to communicate that information
effectively to customers and be willing to go the extra mile to
answer customer questions.
Empowered
employees.
You can’t
provide exceptional customer service without having employees who
have the authority to make decisions. Don’t handcuff your employees
with cumbersome policies and procedures. Give them the authority
to do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer and let them know
that it’s OK to make a mistake in the process of working to
win customer satisfaction.
Helpfulness.
A caring,
courteous attitude is essential to making customers feel that you
value their business.
Honesty.
Apologize
and take responsibility for mistakes, then correct them and offer
the customer something of value for the inconvenience. That might
be a discount on his purchase, free delivery, or an additional product
or service at no charge.
Convenience.
The easier
you make it for customers to do business with you, the more business
you will get. Convenience includes a good location that is easily
accessible, business hours that meet your customers’ needs,
and an appealing mix of products that are attractively displayed.
Timely
responses.
Return phone
calls promptly. Be on time for appointments. Respond to e-mail inquiries
within one business day, preferably within an hour or two. Call
customers promptly when their orders are ready.
Reliability.
Unkept promises
are a major source of customer dissatisfaction and can quickly drive
business away. If you say an order will be ready by Tuesday, have
it ready by Tuesday.
A
personal touch.
Address customers
by name. Thank them for their business. The human factor is critical
in making customers feel like you value them—and their business.
In a nutshell,
customer service means doing whatever it takes to satisfy the customer
as quickly as possible. If you don’t know what customer service
is, you can’t provide it. And, if you can’t provide it,
you won’t succeed.
John Tschohl
is an international service strategist and speaker. Described by
Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru, he has
written several books on customer service, including e-Service,
Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service,
The Customer
is Boss, and Ca$hing In: Make More Money, Get a Promotion, Love
Your Job. John also has developed more than 26 customer service
training programs that have been distributed and presented throughout
the world. His bimonthly strategic newsletter is available online
at no charge. You can reach John at www.customer-service.com.
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