| by: Jane-Michèle Clark
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| | they see when they walk trough your
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| It almost goes without saying that good
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| | doors.
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| customer service is essential to
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| | Preserve me from auto-attendant hell.
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| sustaining any business. No matter how
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| | Customers are becoming increasingly
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| wonderful a job you do of attracting new
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| | annoyed and frustrated with having to
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| customers, you won't be profitable for
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| | sift through a multitude of options and
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| long unless you have a solid customer
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| | press numerous buttons - only to be told
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| retention strategy in place - and in
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| | that the desired service can only be
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| action. It's the actions that count -
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| | obtained through the company's website.
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| not what you say you'll do, or what the
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| | Worse is when the auto-attendant uses
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| policy says. People will remember what
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| | voice recognition - but doesn't
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| you or your employees have done - or not
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| | 'recognize' your voice. People want to
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| done.
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| | connect with human beings; they don't
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| One of the key components of an effective
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| | want to listen to a long list of prompts.
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| retention strategy is exceptional
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| | For hints on how to use auto-attendants
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| customer service. Not just good service,
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| | effectively, please read "The top 5 new
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| but memorable service. Today, consumers'
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| | things people expect for good customer
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| expectations are higher than ever and
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| | service" on our webiste.
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| companies that fail to deliver, risk
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| | 5) Do what you say you will... when you
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| losing market share.
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| | say you will. The expression "Under
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| 10 Tips for Delivering Good Customer
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| | promise, over deliver" may have become
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| Service.
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| | somewhat hackneyed through over use, but
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| 1) Treat me like a somebody. It's been
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| | is still germane. One of the quickest
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| years since that Midas muffler commercial
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| | ways to lose customer confidence is to
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| aired, but the "I'm a somebody" phrase
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| | not follow-through, or to be late
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| can still be heard from time to time.
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| | delivering a service or product, without
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| Why? Because regular customers expect
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| | notifying the customer in advance,
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| (and deserve) to be remembered. As one
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| | determining whether or not the delay will
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| woman summed it up, "You don't need to
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| | impact the customer and providing an
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| remember my name, or what I order, but do
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| | alternate solution in the interim if
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| acknowledge that I've been there before."
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| | necessary.
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| One of the best examples I've ever seen
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| | One of the best examples I ever
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| of this is at my local coffee shop. One
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| | experienced of a company doing it well
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| day I noticed that the young man behind
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| | happened with Toyota. There was a
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| the counter greeted some people by name
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| | problem with my RAV4 and Toyota couldn't
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| and, even if he didn't know their name,
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| | repair it easily. I was driving a
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| he knew what they usually ordered. As I
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| | loaner, but had planned to go camping
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| waited for my tea (he'd already placed my
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| | with my kids. It was our summer holiday
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| 'two milk on the side' on the counter
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| | and it had been planned for months. When
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| without me having said a word), I asked
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| | Toyota couldn't repair my vehicle in
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| him why he said, "See you later" to some
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| | time, they rented an SUV for us to use -
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| customers, "See you tomorrow" to others,
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| | without me having to ask. I have since
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| yet always said, "Have a good week" to
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| | purchased another vehicle from this
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| me. The smiling, friendly reply?
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| | dealership and recommended it to 6 others
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| "Because you only come in on Mondays and
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| | who have purchased from them.
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| Fridays". As I thanked him, I thought to
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| | Coincidence? I think not.
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| myself, "Wow. He won't be here long".
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| | 6) Surprise the customer from the time to
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| Unfortunately, I was right.
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| | time. When it is possible to provide an
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| 2) Be polite! Too frequently company
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| | extra level of service, do so. Whether
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| representatives ask customers for file
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| | it's an unexpected complimentary dessert
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| information without saying "Please" or
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| | in a restaurant, or an upgrade that has
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| even being polite. It is not acceptable
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| | not been requested, these special
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| for a service rep to simply bark out,
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| | gestures go a long way towards
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| "Account number?" And it is never
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| | engendering customer loyalty and to
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| acceptable for a service rep to insult a
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| | winning you new customers. It has long
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| client.
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| | been known that on average, a
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| Six weeks ago there was a problem with my
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| | dissatisfied customer will tell 10 - 16
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| home internet account - which is with a
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| | others, but people who have had an
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| phone carrier I have used my entire life
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| | unexpectedly good experience also recount
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| (and, as you know, this kind of loyalty
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| | their stories.
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| to a phone company is almost unheard of
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| | 7) Provide "full" service. When
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| these days). In all that time, I have
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| | Successories sends out its framed prints,
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| never been late with a bill payment to
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| | it includes the hooks and a small
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| them. There is a long and ugly story
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| | levelling device. There's a remote
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| here, but the short version is that a)
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| | control toy vendor near me who includes
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| the problem was on their end and b)
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| | the batteries. "My" gas station
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| before they realized where things had
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| | dispenses free coffee with gas on weekday
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| gone wrong, their rep was extremely rude.
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| | mornings. A drive-through drycleaner in
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| When I asked him to please change the
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| | northern Ontario opens early and hands
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| way in which he was addressing me, he
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| | you the morning paper with your order.
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| snarled, "Well whadya expect? If you'd
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| | Small things, yes. Greatly appreciated?
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| pay your bills on time you wouldn't have
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| | No question.
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| this problem."
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| | I spoke to each of my local retailers and
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| I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
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| | learned that in each case, their sales -
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| In fact, if I'd just read this account
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| | and profits - have enjoyed double digits
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| (instead of being on the receiving end),
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| | increases since they introduced more
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| I wouldn't have believed the story.
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| | comprehensive service. Think about what
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| What's worse is that although the company
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| | you can add to help make things easier
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| later apologized, their senior management
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| | for your customers. In some cases, by
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| seemed to feel that this was not an
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| | looking at what else it makes sense to
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| isolated incident.
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| | sell, you can even add a new revenue
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| A 2005 survey conducted by Schulich
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| | stream while improving the perceived
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| School of Business MBAs suggests that
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| | level of customer service provided.
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| this kind of problem exists in over 30%
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| | 8) Mea Culpa. When you have made a
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| of companies, and costs them hundreds of
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| | mistake, admit it and set things
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| millions of dollars in lost customers
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| | straight. When customers have a
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| (and revenues) each and every year.
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| | complaint - listen, truly listen. Then
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| Don't let your company end up one of
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| | apologize and take corrective action. In
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| these statistics.
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| | many instances, the very act of listening
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| 3) Thank your customers - like you mean
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| | (without interrupting) can be enough to
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| it. When your employees conclude a
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| | diffuse the situation and make the person
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| transaction, they should thank the
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| | feel worthy as a customer. Then ask the
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| customer with a smile and a sincere
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| | customer how they would like you to
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| "thank you for ... completed by whatever
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| | resolve the situation. In most
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| is appropriate for your business". Too
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| | instances, your client will come up with
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| often, customers received a rushed and
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| | something reasonable - and often less
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| barely civil
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| | costly than a solution you might have
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| "Thanks-Have-a-nice-day-Next". With
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| | proposed.
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| large purchases, the verbal greeting
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| | 9) Listen to your customers. Conduct
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| should be followed up with a hand-written
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| | your own surveys and get feedback on what
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| card - not just because it leads to
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| | they like and don't like - and take
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| increased referrals (which is does), but
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| | corrective action as required. Let
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| because it is the correct thing to do.
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| | customers know that their business is
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| Oh, and by the way, the word "Sure" is no
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| | appreciated and that their opinions are
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| way to respond when a customer thanks
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| | important to you.
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| you. To many people in many parts of the
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| | None of these suggestions takes a lot of
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| world, this is dismissive and suggests
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| | time or money to implement, yet they can
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| you don't care. The correct phrase is
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| | pay dividends in increased customer
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| "You're welcome".
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| | satisfaction and retention. The key,
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| 4) Appearances do count! According got
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| | though, is to ensuring that employees
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| two independent pieces or research,
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| | understand the importance of their
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| nearly 90% of customers form an
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| | front-line role and get good training and
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| impression about how competent and
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| | supervision.
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| reputable your company is based on what
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