CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHAT IS IT?
By John Tschohl
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
click for top
or back to
Customer
Service
.gif)
