What Is Involved in Customer Service?
Customer service starts with having the best interest of the customer or client in mind. This approach separates good, bad and unconcerned organizations. Regardless of the industry, business-to-business enterprises and business-to-consumer companies that focus on delivering quality customer care may develop an advantage over their rivals.
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Identification
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One of the most important things a business can do to improve service involves defining the needs of customers or clients. Companies can accomplish this in any number of ways, including customer surveys, feedback forms, mystery shopping and other methods. Many companies employ the use of focus groups to ascertain the concerns and desires of their market and go about developing strategies to improve service to the benefit of their customers.
Features
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A wide range of attributes goes into the makeup of high-quality customer service. One characteristic entails knowing your product or service as well as your organization’s return policy. Businesses’ employees should make it a habit to exhibit a polite and respectful attitude with all customers and clients. Whether the customer contact comes over the phone, via email or in person, interaction should include the use of genuine phrases of appreciation for the customer’s patronage.
Phrases like such as “Thank you for your business,” "You are welcome,” “Please visit us again,” and other expressions should come naturally. Other tenets of good customer service include never arguing with customers, even if they are “wrong, and always delivering on promises to maintain your credibility in the mind of the customer. Focus on servicing the customer instead of trying to “close the deal.”
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Time Frame
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Whether dealing with customers, clients or patients via mail, email or voice mail, they must to have confidence that someone will get back to them as soon as possible. The turnaround time may vary depending on the situation, but people do not want to feel that their calls have low priority or may fall between the cracks. Customers expect a timely response. This demonstrates a commitment and priority to excellence in service.
Benefits
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Generally, organizations committed to good customer service retain customers and get referrals of family, friends and workmates. Alternatively, businesses with bad customer service drive customers or clients. Good customer service makes companies more efficient and competitive. This increases the chance of an enterprise surviving in a bad economy and may help to improve a company’s bottom line.
Expert Insight
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Customer Service Manager (CSM), an online magazine that focuses on customer service professionals, states that companies take advantage of social media sites to track and minimize potential customer service issues before situations become uncontrollable. For example, a large U.S. cable company attempting to repair a damaging customer service claim posted by the Better Business Bureaus, began tracking keywords and discussions about the company. They use the information to become knowledgeable about complaints almost immediately and take quick action to resolve issues.
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References
- Photo Credit customer service image by Kurhan from Fotolia.com
