Why is customer service so important?
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In the long run, good customer service is the
only way to grow a successful business.
Satisfied customers come back to buy more and also tell other potential
customers about your service
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Good customer service forms a virtuous circle
with employee satisfaction. People like
to work for a business that they can be proud of and they like being able to
make customers happy
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Poor service will produce the opposite effects
and eventually destroy a business
What are the key elements in good customer service?
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Communication
o
Understand your customer categories and the
benefits they seek
o
Engage customers in product development and
service improvements
o
Respond quickly and effectively to enquiries via
the people who can provide the best solution to their need
o
Agree with each client up-front what is to be
delivered and how success will be measured
o
Be accessible to customers at all their
preferred times and using all their preferred channels
o
Measure customer satisfaction regularly, publish
the results and make sure the results provide a basis for action – then take it
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Culture
o
Make explicit your values that tell everyone the
customer is the top priority
o
Train all employees in customer service and your
values and then empower them to do what it takes to deliver great customer
service
o
Have an accessible complaints procedure focused
on resolving the issue for all customers and all time
o
Measure customer service and reward or
acknowledge individuals who excel
o
Do not tolerate poor customer service
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Processes and outcomes
o
Define how you measure good customer service in
your business and what key performance indicators (KPIs) are relevant for
controlling the end-to-end process
o
Include targets for these measures for all staff
and review performance monthly and annually.
Include them in your incentivisation scheme if you run one
o
Publish actual performance figures against
target
o
Carry out regular and post-project reviews. Learn from mistakes and successes and capture
improvements in revised processes
o
Benchmark against the best performers inside and
outside your industry
