As 2014 winds down and you prepare to gear up for a strong and successful 2015, have you thought about your customer service strategy in the New Year? Perhaps this may include asking customers for more feedback regarding your products or services and implementing some of their suggestions.
In many of our sales and customer service workshops, we often ask participants how they believe their customers would rate them in customer service performance. A common answer is often, “well I’m not sure, or I’ve never asked” Many times, organizations make their own assumptions of how they rate in customer service performance based on their own feelings or a few conversations they have had with customers. If this sounds like your business, it may be time to set customer service standards within your organization to maintain your current customers as well as develop new customer engagements that will last beyond the next year. Below are 6 critical areas to set service standards for in your business:
Responsiveness: How reactive is your team to respond to customer problems or needs? Do you have measureable guidelines in this area? Challenge your team to become an industry leader and more responsive to customer needs in 2015.
Reliability: Are you more reliable than the competitors within your industry? Have your team rate your organizations “reliability” in customer service on a scale of 1 to 10. The dialogue and conversation regarding your rating may uncover some major challenges and opportunities in this area.
Speed: Your speed can set you apart from your competition and make you invaluable to your customers. Start by understanding your customer’s expectations in this area and then setting standards for your team to deliver on these expectations.
Value: Your unique value proposition is what ultimately keeps customers coming back to you. Become the greatest value provider in your industry and continually show your customers why they need YOU and only YOU!
Competence: How does your team demonstrate great competence regarding your products and services? Are your customers aware of the skills and backgrounds that your team members possess, which make your business first class? Demonstrate your expertise by having your team showcase their unique skills and abilities consistently.
Friendliness: Friendliness is often overlooked when companies assess their own customer service program. Although this one seems simple and straightforward, many organizations miss the mark and an opportunity to wow their customers in this area. Set guidelines for your team and help them understand why friendliness is critical to success. First impressions of your business matter.
