Customer Service:
It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - April 2010
Welcome to the April issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience." Spring has finally arrived and not a moment too soon! It's time to "Get Serious About Service", find out just how much great service costs and learn about the black napkin!
Welcome to our new subscribers and new clients. Our goal is to help you improve the service you are providing to your existing customers as well as prospective customers, increase customer retention and generate additional revenue through cross-selling, up-selling and referrals.
Enjoy this month's newsletter!
In This Issue:
Black Napkin Treatment | Serious About Service | The Cost of Providing Great Service
Black Napkin Treatment
I'm sure you've all heard the term "white glove treatment". Webster's dictionary defines it as "marked by special care or attention". The term white glove treatment, likely because of the strict guidelines demanded by the military, has spilled over to the business world. But here the term has nothing to do with cleaning; rather it refers to the meticulously high standards in which a company will treat its' customers. Who among us doesn't want white glove treatment?
But what about "black napkin treatment"? Maybe you have never heard that term before. But after reading this article, perhaps that is what you'll be demanding the next time you go out to eat at a restaurant.
How many times have you left a restaurant only to find your black pants or skirt were covered in white lint from your white napkin? It's happened to me so many times, I've lost count. I've taken to carrying around a lint brush!
Enter the black napkin.
When a restaurant offers me a black napkin, it shows a level of sensitivity to the entire dining experience, which isn't just about the food. Remember the hook I spoke about in last month's newsletter? It's the little things that count.
The white napkin. I cringe when I see it. Please give me the black napkin treatment. If you do, you can bet I'll be telling all of my friends about it.
Serious About Service
I saw that slogan written on the back of a taxi cab in Boston recently. It made me stop and think. How many businesses are really "serious about service"?
I read an Associated Press report that stated Chrysler, one of the "big three" automakers, is taking the business of customer service seriously. Dealers across the country were instructed on the company's customer service expectations. Dealers were told in regional meetings about expectations for things like returning telephone calls, opening doors for customers and minimizing waits for service.
Service oriented companies are constantly looking for opportunities to serve better. They provide their employees with the skills, tools and empowerment necessary to provide outstanding service. These companies communicate their customer service expectations to their employees. They deliver training to their employees. They know that training is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that needs to be reinforced regularly. Employees need to be held accountable to these service standards. It can't be a once in a while thing that they provide, it's got to be consistent, and consistently good.
The mark of a company truly "serious about service" walks their talk and fulfills their promises to their customers. They have a thorough appreciation of the importance of their customers and go to great lengths to show them their importance. They take service seriously. Do you?
The Cost of Providing Great Service
I can hear it now. It's going to cost us more money. We have no money in the budget. We can't spend additional resources to improve service. The question is: can you afford not to? Customer service is often the only differentiator between you and everyone else that offers a similar product or service.
What kind of investment are you willing to make to improve service? If you knew that customers were willing to pay more for great service, would that change your mind? Studies actually show that customers are willing to pay more, often 10% more, and sometimes up to 25% more for great service.
Let's look at some of the characteristics of great service:
A smile
Being acknowledged
Exceeding customer expectations
Being genuine
Apologizing when you make a mistake
Listening to your customers
Appreciating your customers
The cost to your company to provide this great service: Zero.
Getting great service to your customers: Priceless.
Any questions?
If you are on Long Island...
Join us at the Suffolk County Women's Enterprise Council (SCWBEC) annual Business Expo. It's on Monday, April 12th from 9am-3pm. There is no charge for admission to the expo.
In addition to the expo, there will be seminars and workshops throughout the day. I'll be presenting a seminar on "How To Turn Your Customers Into Raving Fans". The seminar starts at 11:15am.
To learn more about the Business Expo and to register for the event, visit the SCWBEC website at: www.scwbec.org.
Hope to see you there!
In Conclusion...
Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience". It is our hope that you not only get the customer or client, but that you also hold onto them! If you have clients, colleagues or friends who wants to hold on to their customers too, do them a favor and forward them this newsletter.
Until next time, take good care of your customers, or someone else will! See you next year!
Sincerely,
Randi Busse
Call us today to set up a free consultation:631-598-5598
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