You cannot set your Customer service standards in isolation.
The good news is that people will pay for great service. Why? Because given the choice between low price and low risk most people would choose low risk. High service = low risk.
At one time if you took your car in for a service they would not clean it. The cleaning would be unexpected and therefore an outer circle issue.
The interesting thing is that the cleaning is now expected and has become an inner circle issue.
To be notified that your online purchase had been dispatched was an outer circle issue that has become expected and moved to the inner circle.
Look at what has moved from outer to inner in your market and make sure your moving with the market.
Then ask how can we get ahead of the market by finding new outer circle issues that our competitors have not thought of.
Customer-focused versus Company focused procedures.
Let’s look at an example of Company focus procedures.....
I went to the Hotel receptionist to ask if she could change my room.
No sorry I can’t do that she said.
Can I speak to your Manager?
No she is in a meeting.
Can you interrupt the meeting?
No sorry.
What would your manager do if she was here?
She would change your room.
How do you know?
She always does. Nobody wants to stay in that room.
Why don’t you change it.
I can’t change it without talking to my Manager.
The strange thing about this is that I am getting bad service from a good employee. She sticking to the procedure. But the procedure is wrong.
Look at your procedures and make them Customer focused.
What about empowerment.
The receptionist should have been empowered to change my room. Customers like to talk to one person that can make a decision. How can you empower your people to give great service?
Let’s go back to standards.
Why not empower your people to set standards.
Here are some standards set by employees.
Service Engineer. First time fix on all call outs.
Hotel Staff. Uniforms will be uncompromising immaculate at all times.
Production Workers. Zero defects leaving our production line.
You may be surprised at the high standards your people WANT TO work to.
Tell people it’s OK to tell us if you don’t hit the standards. That way we can give you the support you need to deliver the service our customers want.
Remember to celebrate Success........
Everyone knows that repeat business is great business. Happy customers return again and again bringing increased profits and lower cost per sale.
Invest in Great Customer Service and your customers will grow your business for you.
At MLP Training we have spent over 25 years developing powerful Customer Service Excellence workshops.
Visit our website for more details.http://www.mlptraining.co.uk/course/20/Customer_Service_Excellence
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