Customer Service Week is October 5
through October 9. Introduced 10 years ago by the International Customer Service
Association, the national event is a time to recognize hard-working customer service
employees. It is a recognition well-deserved.
Customer service has become increasingly important as competition for customers has
reached new heights. And, although a week set aside to applaud the efforts of customer
service employees is certainly warranted, I suggest that the applause and the commitment
to customer service should be a year-long endeavor.
The key to the success of any business is exceptional customer service. Studies show that
customer service is more effective than marketing, promotion, or advertising in enhancing
a business' bottom line. A company that focuses on customer service will reap bountiful
rewards in the form of customer loyalty and increased sales. According to a study by the
American Management Association, patronage by loyal cusotmers yields 65 percent of a
typical company's volume. The best way to ensure customer loyalty is by providing quality
service.
Employees working in the customer service arena must be recognized and rewarded every day.
In many cases, they are on the lowest rung of a company's pay scale, but their
contributions to the organization's bottom line are invaluable. You can show your customer
service employees that you value and appreciate them by following three simple
suggestions:
- Train them.
When you make the investment to train your
customer service employees, you are showing them that you value them and the work they do
for you. A good training program has a value of at least five times its cost. Why? Because
employees who feel valued are more motivated and more productive.
Provide at least 40 hours of training each year. Establish
clear objectives, so employees know what you want them to be able to do once they've
completed that training. To be effective, training must be consistent and continuous and
must involve everyone in the organization. But it is especial for your front-line
employees, whose knowledge and behavior influence clients and customers to return to you.
- Empower them.
Empowerment is a powerful motivational tool.
When you empower an employee, you are giving him the authority to provide exceptional
customer service. That means bending, even breaking, the rules to do whatever he has to do
to take care of the customer to that customer's satisfaction.
Without empowered employees, no service, or very little
service, reaches the customers. And, when there is little or no service, customers will
not return to you. A recent Technical Assistance Research Program study found that each
problem a customer encounters causes, on average, a 20 percent decline in long-term
loyalty.
Employees who are given the authority to satisfy customers are crucial to the success of
your business. Give them the authority to handle customer complaints and concerns on the
spot. Then allow them to use that authority by letting them know they won't be fired if
they make a mistake in the process of working to win customer satisfaction.
Empowerment is a powerful took that can give your business the competitive edge it needs
to survive. Support and reinforce empowered action by your employees.
- Reward them.
Use positive reinforcement and public praise
to let your customer service employees know you value them. They need to know that their
contributions are noticed and appreciated.
Too often, top sales performers earn sizable bonuses or
expensive prizes, while top service performers go unrecognized or are recognized on a much
smaller scale. Award comparable rewards in all areas of the company. Don't send the
message that service is less important than selling.
Even small successes should be celebrated, which gives you the opportunity to recognize
employees on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be extravagant; a pizza party, a small
gift, a balloon bouquet, or a special parking spot will do the job.
Well-trained customer service employees, who feel they are valuable members of the
corporate team, create the magic inside the business that will keep customers coming back
to you. |
