| "Every company's greatest assets are its | | | | policy that an employee can act without |
| customers, because without customers there | | | | concern for repercussion, as long as they are |
| is no company," --Erwin Frand | | | | meeting a customer's need. I have found this |
| | | | creates a greater willingness to serve the |
| During our recent weakened economy, many | | | | customer. |
| businesses have seen declining revenues and | | | | |
| declining budgets. Declining budgets often | | | | - Often times you could say "no" to a |
| lead to reduced staff levels and diminished | | | | customer, however, "no" can have huge |
| services. To me, this does not make sense. | | | | implications on your business. Ask yourself, |
| I believe that it is during the down times, | | | | "Am I willing to potentially lose 10 |
| when service should be at the forefront and | | | | customers as result of this interaction?" |
| retention of loyal customers even more of a | | | | |
| focus. | | | | 6. Offer a solution |
| | | | |
| When price wars fail to drive revenues, | | | | - Shift from the problem to the process for |
| businesses often look to service to give them | | | | resolution. |
| a competitive advantage. Many big business | | | | |
| marketers are returning to a "service sells" | | | | - Offer a choice between several options. |
| mentality, however, many sell great customer | | | | |
| service and few deliver. The problem is that | | | | - Put yourself in their place. |
| few marketers have ever truly served a | | | | |
| customer. | | | | - Involve the customer in determining the |
| | | | solution. |
| Throughout my years in business, I have had | | | | |
| the opportunity to interact and develop a | | | | - Clearly explain any limitations that exist. |
| customer service philosophy. It is inherent | | | | |
| that when you are in a service-based | | | | 7. Recognize your staff members for |
| business, there will be times when your | | | | outstanding service |
| customer is compelled to offer you their | | | | |
| feedback. It is what you do with this | | | | - Implement a customer service awards program |
| feedback that will shape the future and their | | | | that recognizes employees for exceptional |
| impression of your business. | | | | customer service. Maybe you have tried these |
| | | | without success and do not believe that they |
| Upon reflection, most all of my interactions | | | | work. I would tend to agree if the program |
| with displeased customers were not the result | | | | were like most I have seen. Try something |
| of a poor product, but rather a disappointing | | | | different; break the mold. One of my most |
| customer experience. Why is that? Because, | | | | successful clients offers spa treatments for |
| product is not personal, customer service is. | | | | his female employees if a customer goes out |
| Briefly, I would like to share with you | | | | of their way to recognize them for great |
| eight critical steps to establish a customer | | | | service. Another client provides his |
| service culture. | | | | employees with a "day off with pay" incentive |
| | | | for every five unsolicited, positive customer |
| 1. Customers are the reason for work, not an | | | | comments that he receives. These are just a |
| interruption of work | | | | few examples that are "outside the box." Be |
| | | | creative and generate a little excitement in |
| This sounds really obvious doesn't it? How | | | | your staff for customer service. |
| many times have you gone into a business only | | | | |
| to wait while someone is on the telephone or | | | | - Take the time to acknowledge employees at |
| busy doing some "non-service" task? | | | | staff meetings. People want to leave their |
| Employees often lose sight of the importance | | | | mark and feel that they matter. Taking the |
| of the customer and get consumed in lesser | | | | time to recognize them in front of their |
| day to day tasks. Sure, there are tasks that | | | | peers can make a real difference. |
| need to be accomplished, but you cannot | | | | |
| afford to sacrifice service to get them done. | | | | 8. Ask your customers what they think of your |
| Good customer service must be a priority for | | | | service |
| you and your team. Without your customers, | | | | |
| you have no company! | | | | The best way to find out if you are |
| | | | satisfying customers is to ask them. Formal |
| 2. Train, train, and continue to train. | | | | efforts could include customer surveys, |
| | | | questionnaires, interviews or comment |
| - Cross train your entire staff to be able to | | | | suggestion cards. Informally, get out and |
| assist a customer regardless of their | | | | talk with your customers and your staff. Ask |
| department. When a customer becomes upset | | | | them how they feel about service you are |
| they want their problem solved not to be | | | | providing. Ideally, use a combination of |
| shuffled between employees that are not | | | | both methods. |
| empowered or enable to assist them. | | | | |
| | | | You may be thinking, "Why should I go ask for |
| - Offer continuous customer service training | | | | trouble? Who knows what I might hear if I |
| for your staff and once they are providing | | | | ask?" That is the point. As you will see in |
| good service, continue to train them. | | | | the statistics below, most customers will not |
| | | | voice their disappointment with your service |
| - Utilize role play situations to assist your | | | | levels. They will simply leave and never |
| staff in recognizing and experiencing both | | | | return. If you do not ask about the quality |
| easy and difficult service opportunities. If | | | | of your service, you might make the wrong |
| an employee has a level of comfort with a | | | | assumptions and feel that you can reduce |
| difficult situation, they will be able to | | | | service levels because you get few complaints |
| better handle it. | | | | and lead your organization into areas that |
| | | | turn off your customers or cause problems |
| 3. Empower your staff to serve | | | | that you never intended. |
| | | | |
| - Establish a system of resources for your | | | | On the other hand, asking your customers |
| staff to serve the customer. Allow them | | | | about their satisfaction sends a message to |
| latitude to take the necessary action to | | | | them that you care about your business and |
| provide exceptional service and resolve any | | | | about them. While you might hear some |
| issues should a customer become disgruntled. | | | | criticisms, you might also learn what you are |
| Create a structured system to allow your | | | | doing right and see what you should modify. |
| staff to serve customers. | | | | |
| | | | In addition to the information, you will |
| - Establish a discretionary budget that an | | | | benefit from the interaction. Every |
| employee may access to recover a customer | | | | interaction is a customer service |
| before you lose them. I recently learned | | | | opportunity. Make the most of each and every |
| that a major hotel chain has a monetary fund | | | | one. |
| available per year and per employee enabling | | | | |
| them to go above and beyond to ensure | | | | Most of us continue doing business with |
| exceptional service. This empowers the | | | | people and businesses who give good service. |
| employee to right a wrong or create a | | | | We might not say anything, but we reward good |
| "memorable" customer experience. I am not | | | | service providers by continuing to do |
| advocating large sums of money, but with | | | | business with them. If the service is |
| regards to customer service, a small gesture | | | | outstanding, we will probably tell our |
| can go a long way. | | | | friends and colleagues about it. Likewise, |
| | | | when we receive poor service most of us vote, |
| - Ask your staff what tools would enable them | | | | not with our voice, but with our feet-we just |
| to provide better service. You would not | | | | leave. |
| send a fireman into a burning building | | | | |
| without the proper equipment. Failing to | | | | In the 1980's the White House Office of |
| empower and enable your staff with the | | | | Consumer Affairs commissioned a report called |
| necessary tools to serve you customer leaves | | | | the TARP study. The report revealed the |
| you with few options other than poor service. | | | | following facts about unhappy customers: |
| | | | |
| 4. Make service personal | | | | 96% of dissatisfied customers do not complain |
| | | | directly. |
| - Greet repeat customers by name, if | | | | |
| possible. | | | | 90% will not return. |
| | | | |
| - Offer a handshake and introduce yourself. | | | | One unhappy customer will tell nine others. |
| Creating service that is personal will not | | | | |
| only retain customers, but help diffuse | | | | 13% will tell at least 20 other people |
| difficult situations should they arise. | | | | |
| | | | Superior customer service is one of the most |
| - Thank your customers for their patronage. | | | | difficult deliverables facing the business |
| It really does make a difference. | | | | world today. Selling service is the easy |
| | | | part, delivering on that promise offers a |
| 5. It is ok to say "Yes", even when you | | | | tremendous challenge. So I ask you, what can |
| should say "No" | | | | you do to improve the service you provide? |
| | | | Implement these eight steps and begin to |
| - Support your staff when they make customer | | | | excel at providing a superior customer |
| service decisions. In my business, it is my | | | | culture today! |