Going the extra mile for your customers/clients has never been more important.
The Internet offers so much information and so many choices. You need to be in a position to take advantage of this, as it is easy for customers to look elsewhere if they cannot get what they want from you.
On top of this, any crisis makes customers more demanding. So what must you do?
In these challenging times, it is important to invest in your staff, ensuring that they know all about your organisation’s products and services and are equipped to offer customers the best solutions.
It’s difficult to tell whether or not your staff are achieving a world-class standard of customer service, which is why we have put together a short list of signs to look out for. Your staff are achieving a high standard of customer service if they:
1 Challenge themselves to manage service personally to ensure satisfaction. Every issue should be dealt with by the person fielding it where possible. Even if the outcome is not to the customers liking it will still improve your performance in the customer’s estimation
2 Understand and learn about customer needs. The business can learn a great deal from the things that the customers do not like or want.
3 Satisfy customer needs with innovative solutions. That lost customer or opportunity may teach you that you need another service.
4 Treat customers as individuals. We all have our preferences and experiences.
5 Own and solve customer problems. Every issue should be dealt with by the person fielding it where possible.
6 Make themselves the customer’s advocate. Someone in the firm must stand up for customers when the rest of the organisation calls them a nuisance.
7 Educate customers where necessary. Customers may be using the product or service for the first time. They may be grateful for dispassionate guidance. Maybe even sending them elsewhere.
8 Recommend appropriate products and solutions. It is about the long term. Inappropriate products or solutions may cause losses in the end
So… are your customer service standards fit for purpose?
For more information on improving customer service, please contact WLP on enquiry@w-l-p.co.uk