Business

Customer service is more than just being nice to people

Many organizations approach the problem of customer service by encouraging their employees to speak with a smile. Be polite. Never lose your cool. But isn’t that a bit like closing the stable door after the horses have gone out? Good customer service should be based on a good customer experience with your product. This starts with the relationship your business grows with a customer.

This relationship will be tested by the entire process of the buyer-seller relationship.

1. The images and promises of the marketing campaign

People start to form opinions about your company and your products from the messages they receive, even before they buy your product. Often, they receive these images before they have even thought to buy. Will your images match the experience?

2. The ease of ordering/purchasing the product

Once someone has decided to buy your products or services, how easy is it for them? Is there someone to answer the phones or will they receive a voicemail message? In fact, many companies lose sales this way. Some people, who want to act now, will simply hang up and move on to the next company that will take their call. Also, many leads are not followed. A message is left but no one answers. When the buyer contacts you, do you have your systems in place to make the buying process as simple as possible? Buyers want to feel that they have made the right decision in choosing your product. By creating a simple ordering process, you help them feel confident in their decision.

3. How well does the product meet marketing expectations?

Your customer now has your product in their possession. Will it live up to any hype used in the marketing campaign? Or will there be disappointment when the actual product does not match expectations? Marketing is a powerful force. It will create expectations that the product must meet. When it’s not, it can create customer satisfaction issues. Make sure your product matches expectations.

4. How well will the product meet customer expectations?

In addition to the marketing message, a customer often forms their own expectations based on past experiences with similar products, observations, and conversations with others. Will this add to the experience or create a disappointment? The product must meet or exceed expectations. Anything less will create a potential customer service issue.

5. When something goes wrong, how do you fix it?

Do you recognize that problems can occur? Have you decided how to satisfy customers? Have you looked at the financial ramifications of your solutions? Better yet, look at the product itself. If you find many customers with similar products, it may be more appropriate to address the weaknesses of the product itself.

6. What are the procedures?

Even with the best products, problems can arise. It is best to address these issues in advance. Decide what processes will be used to satisfy your customers. Think about the replacement, and its cost, discounts, etc. If you are going to replace a product, how quickly can you get it to someone? As a replacement, it should take priority over new orders. Customers will tell more people when they have had a bad experience than when they have had a good experience. Solving customer problems affects not only that specific customer, but many other people as well.

7. Is your organization easily accessible or is the process frustrating for most?

Everyone has frustrating stories to tell about voice prompts going nowhere. They don’t cover their issue and continually come back into the system without a way to talk to a live operator. Make it easy for people to talk to someone. Test your systems thoroughly. Automation can be a huge help and cost saver for organizations, but it must be used wisely.

8. Can the customer service representative really help?

Customer service representatives must be trained to solve problems. They must be able to do more than empathize and smile. Nothing is more frustrating than a good customer service representative who can’t solve your problem. Provide your staff with the right information and training. That they have responsibility and accountability for their actions. Employees tend to rise to the level that is expected of them.

Good customer service requires a continuous examination of methods. The questions discussed above will start the thought process necessary to truly provide world class service.