How often, as a customer, do you experience WOW customer service … the type that you normally can’t imagine? Average or less customer service seems like the norm in many industries. In some, it’s so common that when we provide great service, we yield customers who feel like they’ve won the lottery, if only for a moment.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Finding customer service processes to improve continually is not rocket science.
Remember these tips: Handling Customer Complaints … 8 Mistakes to Avoid
Social isn’t just a new way of marketing; it’s a new way of doing business. If you were asked to name the top 5-10 items that have the greatest influence on great customer experience or service, what would your list include?
Our agency often runs customer experience/service design workshops, and this question is a key exercise in the workshop. Start with this list when deciding where to improve your customer service. And don’t forget to get direct feedback from your customers.
Let’s examine eight areas of customer service design where we believe you should be looking for continuous improvement:
Make service the core of word of mouth marketing
Small business owners used to be afraid that a dissatisfied customer would tell seven people about their bad experience. Now, through social media sites, they can tell 7 million people. On the flip side, however, “raving fans” can be your advocates and biggest source of new business by telling their stories of great experiences.
Remember that customers believe what their friends and peers say about your company more than they believe any of your paid advertising. The best source of these great experiences? You guessed it … customer service.
Gain customer insights
Every business is being talked about on the internet, but where? New customized insights from companies like Flowtown allow the business owner to insert a contact’s name or e-mail address and identify the social networks in which that contact participates.
Knowing where your prospects and customers congregate online is critical for engaging customers where they are. It is also very valuable as a source of customer insights.
More online engagement
Calling a company’s customer service telephone number is no longer the fastest way for customers to get their issues resolved. And believe us when we state how important speedy resolution of issues are. Since many businesses are tracking what is being said about them on social media sites, tweeting concerns or posting on their favorite site often gets quicker service.
We have found this to be true with some of the companies we do business with … like our bank, our airlines, our cable company, and our cell phone provider. Consistently improving your online engagement will help you keep ahead of customer concerns.
Customer service processes … lower response time
In this 24/7 instant gratification world, the time in which your customer expects you to be able to resolve their issues is continuing to get shorter. Most customers expect to be able to connect with you within 12-24 hours after their first attempt. They also expect to have a resolution of their issue on their first contact.
This, of course, is putting added stress on companies’ infrastructure and pressuring companies to know who their important customers are. Not all customers are equal, are they? To keep their response times down, businesses will increasingly segment their customers and ‘fire’ those that don’t make the grade.
Always greet customers promptly and with a smile
You may not be the owner, but you should care like you’re the owner. Not all owners or executives make great leaders, but the ones that are should be emulated. Watch how they take pride in how they deal with customers and employees. Then copy them. Act and care like you are the owner.
When talking with a new customer, give them your full name and get theirs right away. This makes your conversation more personal and enables you to better connect with your customer.
Expand social customer care
Consumers now frequently connect and talk with each other over company products and services. Companies like getting Satisfaction and Feedback 2.0 have created online communities that facilitate conversations between companies and consumers.
Lots of ways for you to expand how and where you engage with consumers. Are you trying new ways to engage? Shouldn’t you?
Customer service processes … remember one thing
Remember one thing about each customer you meet. People do business with people. Make your actions personal. Customers should want to do business with you because of you and your employees.
Make your customers “feel at home.” You may have a great location, cool displays, great signage, etc. That’s all great, but if your people can’t make your customers feel welcome and appreciated, all of the other doesn’t matter.
Grow self-service
It started with ATM’s 40+ years ago, and now consumers rarely go to the airport without using a self-service kiosk. Now more complicated service transactions like renting a car are now being accomplished.
What does it accomplish? Helps customers avoid long lines and speed up their service. A real value that is high on customers’ priority lists. Your business may not want the expense of a kiosk, but you definitely can find ways to reduce the time customers have to wait or stand in lines, can’t you?
