Customer Service Company image - making and keeping promises

 Superior Customer Service Delivery - Making and keeping promises

I hope you have enjoyed reading my first post about Customer Service.Let`s move to the next part of building Customer Service Culture and Superior Customer Service Delivery.  

Please join me in my mission  Ante Up- Global Superior Customer Service © and building Organizational Customer Service Culture. Please feel free to post comments,suggestions and ask question.I would love to hear from you and your opinion on today`s Global Customer Service.

My name is Dave from Infinity Customer Service Consulting © and topic for this post is

Company image and making and keeping promises.

Company image

Company image and product or services brand,is very important part of Customer Service delivery.
We defined Service delivery as an Action that creates a value to your Customers and went deeper towards delivering Higher Value than expected which in perception to your Customers is an Excellent Service Delivery.

To get your self in the position to be trusted Service or product supplier, its about ensuring your Customers that your Service delivery is impeccable and next time when they are doing business with you, it will be even better.
Not the same and not "it might" be better...Customer must know that Service you provide to them will be better.  
Customer service is all about building a solid rapport with your existing and potential Customers.

It involves offering the customer help and support to satisfy their needs and wants but your goal is to exceed their expectations. You must work on building a trust relationship with your Customers.

Customer Service is the art of trust. Customers trust their providers and they keep coming back because they know that the relationship is based on a perception of previous experiences and knowledge that you are able to deliver what they need. Your returning Customers know when they come back to do business with you - they will receive superior class service.

 

Why Customers keep coming back? 

It`s because of your Company image and reliable brand and promise that you will deliver.
It`s because of Value that your have promised that is hard to compare with other offers.
It`s because you value your Customers,you treat them with respect and as part of your family. You have fast service and you have promised they don't have to wait too long and they don't have to ask twice. 
It`s because of your promise,when things go wrong ,that you will fix the issue and you do that fast and reliable.FIRST and EVERY time!  
It`s because They TRUST you! It`s because you Listen to them and keep delivering more than they expect from you. FIRST and EVERY time ! 
It`s because you CARE and give free SMILE! 
It`s because you have promised that they will not have to run around to get things done and make things work!
It`s because you make promises and you work hard to keep those promises and you have them printed everywhere!

How to we make Business promises and How do we keep them?

Before we make a definition on how to keep our promises and equally important how do we make them, lets get few most important factors in the spotlight first.

First of all,

It`s a must -  strong Organisational Customer Service Culture.

Channeling from top to bottom and vice versa, so that every person in your Company has the same view and attitude about Customer Service and its components.
Why Vice versa? 
This question is 4 hours answer, but to sum it up… Because  management must  and I underline that MUST, have constant touch base with their own front line employees and receiving consistent influx of ideas and suggestions from your front line staff. 
Executive staff must engage with their employees and work with them on regular basis on the front line.  Open door policy is a must in Customer Service environment.
Front Line staff is a Gold Mine of your business which must be utilized to improve your service delivery.Front line employees are key to success of any Business and you have to work with them closely and reward their efforts because they have a front line seats and they are the driving force of your Business.

Strong evaluation of  your organizational abilities.

Find your strength and weaknesses - Focus on weaknesses and work on your strengths. Remember , Your business is good as your weakest link. You can not afford to have a weak link in your business neither weak link in your front line staff.

Employ Customer Service  educational routines and strategies 

and ensure that every person in your Company receives Strong Customer Service Education. Not just a one off training session. 
Appoint staff to make daily emails, place several message boards in your work environment, install LED displays as an Educational tool and a reminder that regardless what and how" Customer is King.The Customer is boss. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.A business exists to create a customer.A Customer exist to keep business creative.

Great product and services knowledge

 Your staff must have great product and services knowledge. From porter to the CEO. Regardless of the position where they work, Company employees must know ,what they making, how they making it, how it works and what they deliver to they Customers pretty much inside out.

NON bias and NON preferred treatment to any of your Customers - Equal across the board.

Equal Focus on your Online and offline business and Service Delivery. As we mentioned ,an action that creates value to your Customers -retail and online in equal fashion.

Involve your Customers in Business planning

ASK and more important LISTEN to your customers what they expect and want from your brand, your service or your product. Not once, not twice - Regularly! Find out their expectations and their perception of your Service delivery and adjust accordingly. That is your Best source of information. Live up to their expectations and deliver more than they expect.

Customer Service Recovery

 Customer Service Recovery Officer is a must in a Customer Service environment pretty much to be there to in case if something goes unplanned.

Now we have several components to work with lets put them together:

• To be able to make promises ,you must know your Company abilities,brand and what you can deliver.

• Make sure that you are realistic and able to deliver before you commit to it.Do not promise beyond and above if you can not fulfil your promisse.

• Put your promises in writing to your Customers and what you promise deliver regardless.If you fail-use recovery system to gain your trust back.

• Work with your Front line staff and provide full support to their input and ideas - Remember: they are Gold Mine of your Business.

• Have your service or product under constant review and criticism by your Customers. However, every Criticism must be taken as Constructive and more importantly listen to your Customers and what you hear is what you need to focus on.

Many Companies Under promise with the intention to over deliver to achieve Superior Customer Service effect. 

Nothing wrong with that ,but have in mind ,that you are not the only supplier or service provider. If you under promise make sure you have created a distinctive value to your Customers and over deliver each and every time.

Other factors to consider when building  Customer Service Culture , making and keeping Business promises:
 

• Pay your Customer Service staff well ,invest in their education and reduce staff turnover - Image matters

• Customer Service Culture = Positive attitude+ Organisational Live,love and breathe Customer Service

• Careless employees,specialize in saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person. Have Customer Service Code of Conduct in place.

• You can not just train your staff how to deal with your Customers. You must Educate them how to Live,love and breathe Customer Service

• “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” but in Customer Service, If is worth doing …it's worth overdoing!

• Customer-based feedback must be translated into what the company must do internally not just to meet but exceed customers expectations

• CS is built on power of trust.The toughest thing about the power of trust is that it's very difficult to build and very easy to destroy

• The golden rule for every business person is this: ''Put yourself in your customer's Shoes and see it from their eyes".

• It is not the employer who pays your wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays your wages

Focus on employee goals and their careers within the company and reduce turnover.Help them build their career within your company and you will have loyal and trustworthy executive staff. 

I hope you have enjoyed my second post. 
Please join me in my mission to empower Companies to build Superior Customer Service and Organisational Customer Service Culture  

Thank you for reading.

Until next time
Dave 
www.customerserviceinfinity.com
   

Infinity Customer Service Consulting © All rights reserved

Customer Service Education - What is Customer Service

Infinity Customer Service Consulting - Customer Service Training Manual

For my first Blog and Training material I have decided to start with " Back to Basics" on Customer Service delivery.
My name is Dave. I have  20 years of experience working in Customer Service Industry and also being a Customer to many businesses,I have seen many examples of Good ,bad and ugly of Customer Service.It`s absolutely amazing to cross between one end of extreme to another,just from going from one shop to another being next door to each other.How is this possible?
I was puzzled and so curious and keen to find out:
Why is it that some businesses just barely deliver what’s expected, some exceed and some achieve excellent Service delivery.
What is it that drives them?
What is it that makes them better than others?
What is that makes them want it more that the others?

What is Customer Service for them? 

How do you achieve Customer Service Excellence and is there anything beyond?

Before we answer these questions lets discuss some basic terms.Lets start with simple exercise.
Before you continue reading ,what does Customer Service Delivery mean to you?
Take a peace of paper and write down the definitions of or just think about it for few minutes:
Customer  - Define a word Customer in your own words.Who is your Customer and how do you perceive the meaning of a Customer
Service -  in your own words, what does it mean to you?
Delivery - What is meant by delivery and what does it mean to you?
We also mentioned Excellence - well if we have mentioned it why not to find out what does it mean to you?
There is a huge number of Customer Service definitions and views, but what is in fact Customer Service and how to achieve the Customer Service Excellence?
Can we move it into Superior Customer Service?
Is there anything higher than achieving a Superior Service delivery?
Trust me - Yes it is! ( i will cover this very soon)
I hope you have thought about Customer -Service -delivery and Excellence definitions as many people surprisingly don't even consider thinking about let alone writing about it.
There is a huge number of Customer Service definitions and views, but what is in fact Customer Service and how is CS perceived by others:

• Customer service is an organization's ability to supply their customers' wants and needs.

This definition is not complete but I agree

• Customer service is the ability of an organization to constantly and consistently exceed the customer's expectations.

Right. This is bit better but that’s where the story ends. At the point of sale.

• Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.

Very close to the previous definition

• Customer service is what the customer perceives and remembers of the service they received.

This defines focus on the perception which is true but this does not define CS in full.

• Customer service is the practice of providing customers with a positive, helpful experience.

Again. Experience with no interest on anything further e.g expectations,value,etc.

• Customer service is the sum total of what an organization does to meet customer expectations and produce customer satisfaction.

Very close, however there is number of elements missing

• Customer service is providing your service with a solution or a satisfactory answer that will ensure their satisfaction while protecting your personal ethics and value.

-Totally agree - still missing few elements

OK, I think we have seen enough...lets do some work... and see it through my eyes.
Due to a complexity and the nature of the industry,There is no simple explanation and definition of Customer Service or Customer Service Delivery and I will explain why.
To be able to define Customer Service and Customer Service Delivery, you have to break it apart.
Lets simplify the term Customer Service into Customer and Service and add few more missing factors.
Customer: Who is your Customer and what does it mean to you?
Every person who requires your Services is your Customer.
In terms of your prospect: Every person that contributes to your wages or Salary by purchasing your product or Services is your Customer.
In Analytical Terms: Every person that contributes to the growth of your company is your Customer.
Service: What is Service?

Cost effective delivery of your products or services to your Internal or external Customers.
In value terms: An action that creates value to your Customers.
Combined ,that would look something like this:

Providing and delivering,cost effective value to every person who requires your products or Services.
MISSING FACTORS

Delivery:

Consistent forwarding and handling of your services or products in cost effective and timely manner ensuring quality, accuracy and after sales support.

Excellence:

Excellence is delivering the service that exceeds Customer expectations.
Delivering of your products or services, to your Customers with higher value than expected. Consistent, Cost effective and non-bias.

I have to stress one thing out and that is:
                                                         An action that creates value to your Customers.


Combined with missing factors ,that would look something like this:

Non-bias,Consistent and cost effective Provision and delivery (of higher value than expected) to every person in need of your products or Services in timely manner ensuring quality, accuracy and impeccable after sales support.

Looking back at the various definitions can you see the difference and notice the missing factors?
I would like to ask for your feedback and comments in regards to this topic and see it through your eyes.
Do you have different view?
If you have any questions,please feel free to post.
I will continue on our journey through the basics of Customer Service and major factors in establishing grounds for Customer Service excellence and Superior Customer Service delivery.

I hope you have enjoyed the post and looking forward to your comments and questions.

Until next time
Dave
Customer Service Consulting Infinity
www.customerserviceinfinity.com