Customer Service Excellence is something that many companies strive to achieveCustomer service is a crucial part of any company’s success, regardless of its industryYet many companies are failing to keep up with the high standardswhich customers now measure their service experiences.
Regardless of your industry; this is something that most businesses will encounter in one form or anotherThe primary purpose of this article is to offer some simple yet effective ways to restore customer service excellence to your business.
Table of Contents
1Create a Culture of Customer Service.
A culture of customer service is one where every person in the organization knows what exceptional customer service looks like and how to deliver itProject management is essential for any organization that wants to deliver excellent customer serviceIt’s an environment that encourages employees to go above and beyond for customers because they know there will be support when they do so.
It’s crucial to establish this kind of culture if you want to restore excellence in your organizationIn the end, everyone wins: You’ll create happier customers who are more likely to come back and recommend you (and tell their friends), while also saving moneyreducing your need for expensive marketing campaigns or hiring additional salespeople.
2Empower Your Front-Line Staff With The Ability To Make Decisions.
In order for your staff to be empowered, they need to have the tools and information that empower themThis could involve:
- Giving them more authority in making decisions on behalf of customers
- Providing training on how to make better decisions for customers
- Installing systems and tools that allow them an easier way of making those decisions
3Be Present – and Proactive – on Social Media.
In the past, many businesses viewed social media as a place where they could only talk about themselvesNow, it’s all about listening and responding to customers who have taken to the platforms to issue complaints or share their appreciation for your organization.
It can seem like you’re already doing this if you find yourself responding to comments on Facebook or Twitter, but that’s not enough—it’s also important that you proactively engage with customers on social mediasharing customer service stories and tips (and event promotions).
Technology implementations play an important role in providing excellent customer serviceFor example, automated phone systems can improve efficiencyreducing the number of calls handledeach agent and increasing wait times for people calling in with questions or issues that need to be resolved right away.
4Reward Employees.
- Acknowledge the employee’s contributions.
- Thank them for doing a good job.
- Highlight specific examples of outstanding servicethat employee.
- Give them a reward, like an award or gift card, if appropriate.
5Be Consistent – Everywhere.
Achieving customer satisfaction is the goal of every business.
So, consistency is the key to creating a consistent experienceConsistent marketing, consistent product or service offerings, and pricing are all part of building a consistent brand.
Consistency in customer service is equally importantYou must respond quickly and efficiently to resolve issues as they arise – no matter where your customers reach you (phone, email, or social media).
6Re-Evaluate Your Processes And Procedures From Time To Time.
Your customer service can be improvedre-evaluating your processes and procedures from time to timeFor example, if you’re not sure how your customers want to file a complaint, then it might be worth considering how to make the process easier for them.
If you do this, then you’ll get more complaints, which means that you can improve the feedback process—all because of one simple change! Likewise with procedures: if there’s a procedure in place that could benefit from improvement or refinement (for example, regular training sessions), then just add that into your schedule so everyone knows what they’re doing when they come on board at work.
7Hire Smart, Hire Well, Hire Eager
You might have heard the old adage “hire people who are smarter than you.” It’s still true today—but it’s also important that you hire people who are well (people who can do the job) and eager (people who want to do the job)Smart hires are often made before they’re needed, but hiring well and eagerly is all about filling gaps in your human resources as soon as they arise.
Final Words
To summarize, excellent customer service keeps customers loyal and coming back, generates positive brand impressions, has a domino effect (when other customers experience good service), and makes your company look like a thought leaderCustomer service is not the only factor that distinguishes the brands that are succeeding from the companies that are failing, but it’s one of the biggestIt’s also a solvable problem—and any level of the employee can restore excellence.
