What Constitutes Good Customer Service?

We’re all someone’s customer; treat your customers how you want to be treated.

Providing good customer service means not only knowing what your customers want, but what "good customer service" means to them. Try looking at your services from their point of view and asking yourself what you would want and expect in a given situation. You’re a customer, too, and what your customers want from your business is what you want from the businesses you patronize. Chances are that if you really step outside your role as a business owner and consider how you would like things handled if you were on the customer’s end, you’ll gain a better understanding of what good customer service means.

Positive Surprises

Positive surprises are the little extra touches that, while they may not take much of your time or cost you much, make the customer feel as if you’ve gone that extra little distance to help him out. For instance, a business traveler reaches his hotel for the night, and while he’s registering the reception employee tells him his room will be upgraded to a suite at no extra charge. This makes for a happy customer, one who may well have the opportunity to stay at that hotel again and will probably take it. It doesn’t even cost the hotel anything, since the suite probably wouldn’t have been used for that single night anyway.

Consistency

This is a key component in customer service. Not only does it build trust and loyalty when a customer perceives your business as consistent and predictable, but customers will often choose the known option over the unknown one. If you reliably provide a good experience, a customer will continue to count on you. Why go to an auto shop you aren’t sure of when you can take it to a place you know does a good job?

Value

This doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest price. Customers judge value in a number of ways. A customer might go to a restaurant that is a bit more expensive if the food tastes better, if the staff is friendlier, or if the portions are more to the customer’s liking. While a good product or service is the cornerstone of any business, knowing what the customer wants and expects lets you judge what she'll see as "value" for her money.

Speed and Communication

No one likes waiting, whether it’s for a meal, a car, or a staff member to take notice of him. Attending to customers quickly and updating them when things have to move a little more slowly goes a long way in making them know that you value their time. Updates are especially important if your service takes a long time or has an aspect of unpredictability. A quick phone call or email reassures a customer that you haven’t forgotten about him.

Sense of Importance

Customers want to feel as if they are important to your business--and they are. Without them, you have no business at all. Remember to treat them with courtesy and respect. Simple politeness is a necessity. Also, when dealing with an angry or difficult customer, remember that it’s vital to keep your own emotions in check. Letting yourself reply in anger may feel good for a moment, but it only escalates the situation. Try to take a mental step back. Do your best for the customer, and be courteous even when she is not.

References

• The Customer Service Zone: Understanding Customers and What Good Customer Service Means To Them
• AllBusiness: Ten Rules for Great Customer Service