Recently I read an article about customer service standards by
Michele McGovern regarding standards of customer service in various companies.
The theory is that companies should have and enforce standards within their
operations which promote great customer service. These standards may be what we
should all expect or may be ones which address the little things that enhance the
customer experience. Customers may never have thought of some standards, but
they should find them all rewarding.
As business people we should all examine our operations and
install a culture of standards that make our customers’ experience when dealing
with our businesses more pleasant and rewarding. Someone may buy a widget from
us at a great price that lasts forever, never needing replacement. What do we
care about them after the purchase from us? They may never need another widget,
but do they know someone who would also like to have one of our widgets?
What does that customer say about the buying experience that
they “enjoyed” with us? Did we make it easy to purchase from us; did we may the
experience fun and something that they would not shy away from in the future? What
will they say to someone else who asks them how it was to buy from us? Will
they offer favorable comments, or will they tell everyone to never, ever do
business with us?
We all want to expand our customer base, but we must also
expand our client base. We have discussed the difference between customers and
clients before. A customer may make a purchase once from us, but a client should
be ours for life. That client should be our objective; they should be that
partner in business, that networking relationship which can make our business
successful.
If a customer buys something from us that they may never
need to replace, we should not write them off in our minds as lost. We must
understand that they may know others who need whatever we offer. However, what
does that customer say about the experience that they had when buying from us? Their
experience should make them our marketing consultants, telling everyone that
they will also enjoy their own buying experience.
Do we maintain standards that make us businesses with which
others want to engage in buying from us? Do we deliver the same product in the
same manner every time someone buys from us? Do we make that experience pleasurable?
Do we even ask our customers how their experience was? Do our employees know
our standards even if they are involved in all of them? Do they support our
maintaining these standards? Do our standards cover everything from the initial
prospect contact to recovery from business mistakes? Are they just for
disciplining our employees?
Great post, Jim. Happy customers may not tell as many people as unhappy customers but every positive comment helps.
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