And then . . . there's Customer Service
Recently, the marketing efforts of the mobile networks have focused on gaining new customers. Meanwhile, existing customers have been ignored to the point of neglect. As result, the industry as a whole wins the dubious prize of receiving more customer complaints than any other. Way to go!
Right now, half of all mobile phone customers would change to another carrier if not for early termination fees and (ahem) sheer laziness. And from a broader perspective, forty-two percent of all customers cite “customer service” as the area in which businesses need to improve upon most.
The point is, a customer who experiences a bad interaction with an employee leaves with a negative opinion about the manager and the company. Customer service should not be an oxymoron and marketing should not stop when a consumer has taken out his wallet. That moment should, in fact, be the beginning point of a long and well-tended relationship.
For companies with excellent systems in place, the next frontier in customer service is “Wow!” – Handling the unexpected creatively. I have observed that companies and professionals practicing creative customer service successfully have two things in common.
First: They care. Management cares. Employees care.
The company demonstrates their investment in people. And they like to help people solve problems. In fact, not helping people is unacceptable. I recently had my luggage hang out in Dallas, while I went on to Miami. The hotel where I stayed that evening was aware of my predicament and brought me a box of overnight items, including pajamas! This concierge cared personally and decided to go above and beyond his call of duty. How much does your company care?
Second – Employees have authority. Even when people care, if their hands are tied they can’t help. In addition, employees who aren’t especially “caring” might be motivated to be creative for customers simply because it feels good to exercise their authority. At a local restaurant, my retired parents arrived without a reservation and it appeared there would not be a table available until much later in the evening – way past their bedtime. The restaurant hostess sat my parents up in the bar, arranging a table in the corner, white table cloth and all, so that they wouldn’t have to wait. She also took the time to explain to them how to ensure they got the best table the next time they dined there. This young woman had the authority to be creative in serving my parents and she exercised that authority.
How much authority do your employees have?
With competition as tight as it is and everyone vying for the consumer’s dollar, doing a job adequately isn’t good enough to differentiate yourself from the others. The companies who strive to rise above status quo and “Wow!” their customers will be the winners in this game. How far will you go to ‘wow’ your customers?
Angelina Salazar
← Finding a balance between artistic license and searchability Position statements, slogans and taglines, oh my! →
The Designer Says:
It is easy for companies to fall into the trap of ignoring current clients to pay attention to prospects. Keep in mind that you may be able to entice new customers, but if you can’t hold onto them, you will lose more business than you gain. Treat your clients with the respect that you would expect, and they will bring their friends and family to you.