by Kirk W. Johnson

Created on: January 18, 2009

Customer service is what differentiates between companies that will prosper and companies that will get by. There is no business, from the local doctor's office to the multi-store national retailer, that will not rise or fall based on its customer service. The fact of the matter is, there is no product that isn't available in multiple locations, including the internet. What drives the consumer decision is going to be price and service. While there are people who will make their sole decision on price, a company cannot survive on that customer base because they will abandon that company as soon as someone else beats its price. This means that it will utimately be customer service that will determine customer loyalty.

There are three things that will enable a company to provide superior customer service. They are caring, communicating, and correcting.

CARING

The first step in providing excellent customer service is to care. This emphasis must be a focus of every associate in the business. In the doctors' office, it includes everyone from the office assistant to the billing office to the doctor himself. In the retail store it must include the corporate staff all the way down to the maintenance staff in the store. In order to care, the associate must be concerned with giving the customer the best possible experience. This means courtesy, respect, attention, and interest. When a customer approaches an associate in a retailer, it means that any other conversation ceases (unless it is with another customer) and the customer is acknowledged immediately. In a doctors' office, it means respecting the patients' schedule and making sure that all appointments begin and end on time. These are simple, almost common sense, steps that will demonstrate that the company cares for its customers and truly values their patronage.

COMMUNICATING

Once the customer has been acknowledged and greeted with respect and concern, it is time to work. Now comes a critical part of the interaction. The associate must determine what the customer needs and not what they think the customer needs. It requires finding out, "How can I help you?" or "What would you like me to do for you?". It means the associate must stand quietly and listen to the customer. They must focus on what is being said. It is helpful for the associate to repeat the problem or question to the customer to ensure that they have understood what is being asked. If the associate does not understand, it is better that they ask for clarification

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>