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Customer Service, What Is It?
by John Tschohl Customers demand it and companies say they have it, but do they really understand it? The “it” is customer service, a frequent topic of discussion in business circles over the past several years and one that is gaining increasing attention as businesses compete worldwide for customers and profits. In a nutshell, customer service is whatever the customer thinks it is. One customer might see it as quality products and good prices, another might see it as quick response time, while yet another might define it as friendly, knowledgeable employees. Customer service is all these things—and more. No matter what products or services you are selling, it is critical that you make customer service a priority. Too many businesses spend millions of dollars on advertising to attract customers and then drive them away with bad or non-existent customer service. If you want to keep the customers your advertising brings through the door, it’s imperative that you provide exceptional customer service. When attempting to provide exceptional customer service, you must recognize that 95 percent of the factors that determine the reputation of your company among customers and potential customers are in the hands of your front-line service employees. That means you must give those employees the training—and the authority—to see that your customers are satisfied, not only with your products and services, but with the experience they have in doing business with you. Look at customer service, not as an expense, but as a high-yield investment. Exceptional customer service builds loyalty, which builds profits. Research shows that satisfied customers not only buy more, they buy more often. According to a study by the American Management Association, patronage by loyal customers yields 65 percent of a typical company’s volume. The larger your base of loyal customers, the less money you will need to spend on advertising and marketing. Speaking of advertising, it’s important to note that no advertising is more effective than word of mouth. Your satisfied customers telling others about the exceptional service you have provided has more credibility than anything you can put in print or broadcast via radio or TV. Customer service is a moving target. It has no definitive parameters. It is whatever your customers think it is. There are, however, some basic elements that can be easily identified. They include the following:
John Tschohl is an international service strategist and speaker. Described by Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru, he has written several books on customer service, including Ca$hing In: Make More Money, Get a Promotion Love Your Job; e-Service, and Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service. He currently is working on a book about service recovery. John also has developed more than 26 customer service training programs that have been distributed and presented throughout the world. END | |||||||||
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