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Last month's classic example of bad customer service created wide ranging comments.  It was a truly bad example.  It doesn't have to be that way!


However, getting good customer service to happen is neither automatic nor easy.   Often, customers don't see things the way we do, and our "perfectly reasonable" response to a customer is at least unsatisfying, and at worst offensive.  Despite our best intentions, our customer service is not as good as we think!  

On just one day, I visited (during a bit of new business prospecting) five companies who, when asked "Why do your customers buy from you?", all answered "Because we give them extra-ordinary customer service."

There are two conclusions you draw from this - Everyone thinks customer service is important; and, Focussing on customer service is certainly not exceptional.

1.    So let's get good at it! 

A really great new sign on a clapped out old service van tells everyone that business is "blah".  A great uniform on an untrained employee tells customers the same thing.  To get employees trained and working the right way, you need to plan it.

The model here shows a very good approach.

2.    "Execute" means "Plan and Train"!

You might cringe at this example.  Just as you cringed at the smart remark above and the dreadful example last month, but these responses are to be heard in almost every place of business.  The "extra-ordinary customer service" those five companies boasted about  was, when it was examined, nothing more than "we always call back when the boss is not here to answer questions".

It was a major challenge for them to be sure everyone gets called back, but from the customer's point of view, it's nothing more than you'd expect.

Really effective customer service needs much more than that!

3.    Create a "Customer Charter" - helps you and your staff! 

I know!  Just another management theory wank!  NO! It's not!

A client once said "this new bloke is really good with customers.  You can tell.  He's young, pleasant, enthusiastic, responsible, and is just settling down into a new home".  

So, he's a good guy.  What's there to indicate he has any idea of how or what to do for customers?

We see lots of responses just like this, and it's not good for customers!  Or you either.  A "Customer Charter" provides a written guide on what managers and staff all need to do.  It's a constant reminder.

Click Here to see a simple and effective Customer Charter.

4.    Monitor, Review, and Improve!

Important parts of the process, but they take time.  Time you probably don't have, and your staff are pretty good with people anyway.  Sound familiar?  All that means you have two choices.  Get help from any number of Customer Service training programs or specialised "one-on-one" support, or accept that you're not really serious about customer service anyway.

Then there is a third alternative.  Click Here and email a request for your own customised, laminated copies of the Customer Charter - enough for several locations throughout your place of business.

If you'd like to find out more about Customer Service planning and training, talk to us, or submit a question here!  Remember, there is no charge or obligation for our initial response, and you can get a whole hour's consultation free.