Exemplary Customer Service Isn't Just Important, It's Essential for Business Development.
Will it take a pandemic such as the Coronavirus to make Customer Service an important practice in business today? We recognize that for decades customer service was evolving just as technology evolved. In our blog, back in June, Technology Takeover: It Means Good Business we illustrated how technology was impacting the workplace and work force. Today, customer service is not what it once was across every type of business sector.
Customer service has "left the building" more often in most businesses and the downsizing has led to "press 1 for" or "hold please for the next customer service representative" while you hope they are even associated with your product or service question. It seems that with a global economy, consumers wanted products that had value associated with pricing, rather than real quality; this drove profits over customer satisfaction mentality. Many businesses scaled down their staffing, many outsourced customer service roles and responsibilities. Their customer service representatives have literally "left the building" and often, work from a call center handling a variety of products and services or are located overseas. Language barriers, time zones, lack of specific product and/or service knowledge make the simple "I have a question" a bigger headache for the customer. Thus, exemplary customer service has been lacking as technology increases its reach among all industries. As long as company profits were realized or exceeded, customer service was becoming less important.
Companies justified this downsizing with the perception that customer service was less important to the customer as long as they could purchase their desired product and/or service more cheaply. And why not have this perception, profits grew, that was measurable and interpreted as business success minus customer service. So, will it take a pandemic to make customer service in business today an important practice again? In our last blog, Impressions Can Make or Break a Business and Your Digital Marketing too, we discussed that first impressions for a business are everything and they must be good, and with digital marketing becoming a preferred method for businesses to use, first impressions and the number of impressions matter too.
Customers today, still the foundation of any business with the expectation of value and exemplary customer service, (see Blazing Kiss Media's blog: Be Focused in Business, Your Vision Depends on It) have resigned themselves to have low expectations with regard to customer service; especially exemplary customer service. Customers have cognitive dissonance with expecting exemplary customer service and the realization that how customer service is provided today means that expectation cannot be realized. Often, if a customer receives mediocre customer service, they consider that good. Sadly, that perception is contrived with their desire for convenience while still having a relationship with whom they do business with.
Online shopping for example, the online customer service representative can initiate interaction while easily being "dismissed" by the customer. Many online shoppers find the "pop up chat" annoying and disruptive. If you click no, it will reappear at timed intervals. They want to shop on line without disruption and will seek out customer service when needed. They expect exemplary customer service after the sale when they are displeased with the product purchased. If they purchase a service to be rendered at a future date, they won't care much about customer service unless their experience is unsatisfactory. And, after continuous experiences with poor customer service while getting a satisfactory price or at least the thought was a valued price, they accept the poor customer service or ignore initiating at all. However, since the coronavirus, customers realize they have become increasingly more important to the survival of business. They are becoming less tolerant of receiving poor customer service. The days of tolerating poor or limited customer service, have seem to awaken customers’ expectations of receiving exemplary customer service. Businesses must pay attention to this revelation and make sure customers receive a positive customer experience. Business development depends on it.
Business competition is nothing new; but the environment today is highly more competitive. Business development for any business is as critical today as it ever was! The coronavirus has plagued the economy and businesses have suffered. The reopening of the economy has required many businesses to re-evaluate their structure and their product and/or service array and delivery. Brick and mortar, coupled with online or just an e-commerce business, those who can adapt will survive and will succeed. A big part of their need to adapt will be to establish Good Customer experiences and that includes having exemplary customer service. No longer will the customer resign themselves to receive mediocre to poor customer service.
The importance of customer service relates to first impressions as well as “the customer is always right” mentality. Previously, in Blazing Kiss Media’s earlier blog; Business Development; The Playbook Has Changed Outbound versus Inbound Media speaks to the demand consumers have for relationships with businesses they choose to support. Whether an online customer or a patron of any brick and mortar business or a combination of both, exemplary customer service is not just essential because it supports the customer expectations of having a relationship, BUT is essential for ALL business development.
Customer service refers to the help a customer receives from a representative of a business during the entire buying cycle. It involves direct one on one interaction between a customer buying and the representative of the business making the sale.
Customer Service can be exemplary if it incorporates the following rules according to thebalancesmb.com/8 Rules for Good Customer Service
8 Rules for Good Customer Service:
1. Answer Your Phone with a live person and not a recording. Customers want to talk to a live person, not a fake “recorded robot”. They want to establish relationships with the business they choose to shop. Answering the phone is a personal touch.
2. Don’t Make Promises Unless You Will Keep Them this is an integral step, it can make or break the customer experience and relationship. It instills trust in the customer and positions the business as being reliable.
3. Listen to Your Customers let the customer talk, let them express what their wants and needs are and why. Paying attention to the customer by listening allows for the appropriate responses. Summarize what they have said and offer suggestions, perhaps other options, and solutions as necessary.
4. Deal With Complaints give the complaint your attention. Instinctively it’s hard to hear complaints but if listened to, dealt with timely and given the proper attention, it can become an opportunity. Typically, complaints show flaws and issues that allow for correction that improves your customer service.
5. Be Helpful Regardless of Profit an act of kindness goes a long way. Word of mouth is a source of referrals or lack thereof. Provide assistance EVEN if you are not making a sale. For instance, someone stops into your jewelry store because the clasp on their chain broke. After a quick look, you take the chain behind the counter and find a clasp that fits. You return it to them FREE OF CHARGE. Why? Because they will come back and make a purchase in the future, and that act of kindness will be communicated to others, word of mouth! You’ve gained a new customer because of their experience.
6. Train Your Staff to always pay attention and be helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable in every aspect of your business such as return policy, product knowledge including warranties, etc. Knowledge is power, empower your staff.
7. Take the Extra Step by providing interaction with the customer such as, “where are the towels located”? Rather than say aisle 5, say to them, “come with me, I’ll show you”, engage the customer. This will also let you know if they have questions about the product. If you offer and they say no just tell me, then do that but MAKE THE EFFORT TO TAKE THE EXTRA STEP. In hind sight, the effort will be appreciated. Word of Mouth that is positive for your business is important again as a way to increase customers.
8. Throw In Something Extra because everyone loves getting something more than they thought they were getting. Perhaps it’s a coupon for 10 percent off on their next purchase. Maybe it’s providing more information on using the product they just purchased. Maybe it’s offering them free gift wrapping all year, not just during the holidays. It is important to think about your product and/or service and find something extra that you can offer customers.
The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic has created requirements of social distancing that customers must abide by. They also must wear masks in many cases and, adapt to new store hours, curb side pick-up, “out of stock” products on line, while navigating the new normal. This new normal presents new opportunities for businesses as well. As the business environment changes due to the pandemic, the demand for positive customer experiences are more important than ever. This pandemic presents new opportunities for businesses in how they will meet the demands placed upon keeping the environment and customers safe while assuring positive customer experiences.
All business owners know business competition is nothing new; however, the environment today is highly more competitive. Business development for any business is as critical today as it ever was AND having exemplary customer service now and moving forward means the difference for a business to survive and thrive. Customer service defines the customers perception of should they do business with you. Providing good customer service in business today is the threshold for survival, but assuring exemplary customer service will make sure businesses thrive!
About the Writer: Becky Blaesing owns Blazing Kiss Media and is passionate about helping business owners grow their business with useful business development strategies. She resides in Ooltewah, TN but works with business owners throughout many states!