by JQ Adams

Created on: April 21, 2009   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Do you provide good customer service? The answer to that question really isn't for you to decide. Your customers make the ultimate determination of whether or not your organization actually has outstanding customer service. So, when trying to do a "customer service checkup", you have to pay attention to what customers experience when doing business with your company.

Customer Needs and Expectations

Do clients regard your organization as one that is easy to buy from or to deal with? If so, that means that you and your employees are practicing customer-focused behavior. However, if customers find it difficult to deal with your company, it's another matter entirely. To be viewed as a company that is easy to work with, it's important to consider what customers need and expect from their product and service provider and to act decisively to meet or exceed their expectations.

Knowledgeable Service Providers Customers expect to interact with company representatives who know what they are doing. By making sure your employees are properly trained and know how to get information they might need to respond to customer inquiries, you are taking positive steps toward providing excellent customer service. Banish "I don't know" from your employee's vocabulary. Replace it with, "I can find that information for you". Of course, follow through with what you promise. Banish the phrase "That's not my job" from your employees' vocabularies. Remind them that customer service is everyone's job, and tell them to refer customers to the best person to handle their concerns.

Options and Alternatives Customers need to know what their options are, and they need to feel like your employees have their best interests in mind. Don't let employees tell customers things like, "The only thing you can do is". Instead, teach them to say, "The best option in your situation is". This phrasing is much more positive, even thought the meaning is the same. Adopting this type of language helps you meet the customer need for options and alternatives.

Enthusiastic Service People want to do business with companies whose employees act like they actually enjoy their jobs. Don't go overboard with enthusiasm, because doing so can result in coming across as insincere. However, make sure your employees know how to greet customers positively, conveying a sense that they really want to help the customers rather than that the customers are intruding on them. Simply replacing a phrase like "What do you want?" with "How can I help?" can go a long way toward sending the right message to customers.

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