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specialists in enhancement and management of human performance |
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Business is providing value to others, so every transaction has entities exchanging one thing of value for another. Contractors or employees offer some product to the employer. Employers provide pay, benefits and conditions to the employee or contractor. Businesses exchange a service or goods with their customers for some monetary value. The more value that's exchanged between more parties, the more prosperous all parties become. Most business people are so busy with the technical and financial aspects of their work that they don't find time to focus on their clients. Customer service is how you deliver: doing what you're supposed to and meeting a customer's expectations, with a smile. It cannot just be a mechanical series of actions to take, or a formula copied from others. Customer service is not only for sales or tech support, but for each employee, manager, and independent contractor. Begin by looking... at the overall image you present to the world and in each transaction. How does your business appear to others? This includes your personal appearance, promotional materials, what you say about others, and how you answer the phone and greet everyone. Do clients and prospects perceive you as professional, cooperative, approachable? Do they feel confident working with you? When you regularly think in terms of satisfying your client's (boss', or employee's) needs and wants, and consistently look for how you can exceed their expectations, excellence occurs. Besides providing a great product that the client wants, at a good value, do they enjoy doing business with you? Do you give them reasons to appreciate you that you don't directly profit from? From the most global concepts... down to the finest details, examine all your processes for improvement. Are your clients and prospects clear what to expect of you and your services? Are you clear what to expect in return? And don't forget to follow-up! Do you regularly survey the needs and concerns of your clients, prospects and target market? Do you know what they want? What they don't want? What would make them even more pleased to do business with you? What do they tell others about you? Once you know exactly what they want and have delivered, remind them gently that you did, and solicit their testimony. Do your policies or attitudes... keep you (or your staff) from delivering on your priority of great service? According to one survey, 96% of unhappy customers aren't heard from. Most never return. But they can be won back and will become loyal customers again if you resolve their problems, quickly. Do you look for opportunities to resolve their concerns? When problems inevitably occur, do you begin with "the customer's right" and insist on making it right? Attention to clients... profoundly determines their satisfaction, loyalty and referrals. I want my clients to be so satisfied with me that they can't imagine going anywhere else. Years of technical service and all sorts of consulting have given me substantial front-line experience with customer service. Thousands of people have proven to me that most are off-track in predicting what someone else wants from them. Most don't even take the time to examine deeply what they, themselves want, only what they think they want. Most salespeople and marketing types tell customers what features they've got, never discovering what the client really needs. Software has become notorious for becoming "fatware" -- loaded with features that don't give ease-of-use or desired results quickly. Many customers would prefer ease, comfort, and a solution over a fancy, complex product or service that requires lots of attention. People assume they understand... what others want of them and are often off the mark. I've talked to many women (clients) who want a romantic guy (vendor) and describe romance as "red roses and candlelit dinners". Yet when each explores more deeply, what they often want is a man who takes note of their individual preferences, surprising them in a spontaneous act of thoughtfulness and consideration. Small, regular touches, like an occasional card "just because", or a fresh dandelion while acknowledging you're late could go further than obligatory roses and fancy meals. So it is with customer satisfaction: treat those you do business with as if they are someone you are courting. You always are! Look for every chance to delight your clients: they will return, promote you, go the extra mile for you, and enthusiastically give you what you ask for. Quality of relationships... is as important a business issue as technical excellence. Service could prove far more valuable a focus than what you think is important to your business. (NOTE: Allies Consulting offers Customer Service programs that can meet or exceed your expectations; they are designed to deliver real results. They also leverage our other programs, magnifying your ROI!)
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POBox 9635