Customer Service:
It's Not Just a Department, It's An Experience - December 2008
Welcome to the December issue of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience." December is a time for being with family and friends, and also for reconnecting with our clients and customers.
Check out the article "Rude, indifferent or exceptional" and figure out what kind of experience your employees are providing to your customers. Read further to find out what your customers are saying about you, because trust me, they ARE talking about you! And don't miss "What customers want" to ensure you're giving it to them!
Enjoy this edition of "Customer Service: It's Not Just a Department; It's an Experience."
Happy Holidays!
In This Issue:
What Customers Want | Rude, Indifferent or Exceptional? | Your Customers Are Talking About You
What Customers Want
Customers want you to listen to them. They want you to show them respect and listen to their needs. Don't assume you know what they're going to say. Let them tell you. And don't interrupt them!
Customers want you to take responsibility. They want you to own them and their problem. Don't pass the buck. Take care of them the way you would take care of your grandmother. See their issue through to completion. And then follow up with them and make sure they are happy with the outcome.
Customers want you to pay attention to the details. They want you to use their name when speaking to them, and call them back when you say you are going to. They want to feel important because they are!
Customers want you to remember it is their time and money. They don't have to do business with you; there are other companies they can buy from. Remember, you are not doing them a favor. They are the reason you are in business. To serve them!
Give customers what THEY want, and they'll be sure to come back! And they'll tell others to come as well. And isn't that what WE want?
Rude, Indifferent or Exceptional?
What kind of service is YOUR company providing?
If I had to guess, I'd say it was indifferent. It's not "that" bad, but it's not "that" good either. If it is your business, I don't think you want your customers saying that about your company, do you??
If the answer is no, what are YOU doing about it?
Ignoring it? Then don't expect it to change. Demanding your employees be nicer to your customers? What exactly does "nicer" mean anyway? Educating them about how to do it, now that's an idea!
It probably isn't your employee's fault. After all, what training did you actually give them on how to service your customers? Oh, I'm sure you taught them how to use your computer system, and taught them everything about your products and services. But what did you really teach them about how to treat your customers??
My guess is "not much"!
Have no fear. It's not too late. Actually, it might be! Hurry up and implement these steps in your company, and you can go from providing indifferent service to providing exceptional service!
Connect with your customer.
This is critical. This is where you establish rapport and begin a relationship with your customer. You do this by engaging your customer. Start by giving them your name and asking for theirs. Be interested in them and what they want. Ask questions. Listen. Respond appropriately. Have a conversation with them. Be genuine.
Discover what they want.
If you have a genuine conversation with your customer, you will discover what they want. They don't always know, or they might have trouble expressing it. Sometimes people know what they want but they're unsure how to get it. That's where you come in. By asking the right questions and paying attention to the answers, you can discover a lot about your customer. You can help guide them to get what they want.
Give them what they want.
Give it to them when they want it, how they want it and because they want it! They chose to do business with your company because they believed you could fill their need or solve them problem. So do it. And do it with a smile on your face.
Follow-up.
For some customers, this is the icing on their cake. It's true for you too because it's easy to do, doesn't cost much and yet it pays huge dividends in customer loyalty. Follow-up with them and make sure they are happy. And if they're not, do something about it! Fix it, fix it fast, and they'll respect you for it. And pay you back by telling others how you made it right.
Thank them.
This often gets forgotten. Or it gets treated lightly. Too often when I hear a "thanks for doing business with us" it sounds phony, forced or robotic. People often say it out of habit but they put no feeling or authenticity into it. Say it, and mean it. And don't just thank the new customers. Thank the ones that have been with you for a long time. Remind them how much you appreciate them.
Follow these steps with every customer and you'll provide them with an exceptional experience. Coach your employees to understand and work through these steps each and every time and you'll see your customer loyalty and customer retention go through the roof. Go ahead, I dare you!
Your Customers Are Talking About You!
People love to talk.
They talk about products and services.
And they talk about experiences.
People are talking about you and what you sell right now.
Do you know what they are saying?
Treat your customers well and they will encourage others to buy from you.
Treat them poorly and they can ruin your business.
The choice is yours.
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 month!
Sincerely,
Randi Busse
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