by Waseem Akram

Created on: June 18, 2009   Last Updated: June 20, 2009

Understanding Customer Care

It used to be that organizations wanted only to provide the goods that customers wanted at a price they were ready to pay, and success was to some extent assured. With ever mounting choices, today's customers place more importance on customer care, how service providers take care of the customers. The terms "customer care" and "customer service" are used interchangeably.

Let's assume you need to purchase a computer system. When you reach a computer shopping complex you determine that every shop sells computer systems with Pentium microprocessors. Who will you buy your system from? Chances are you will buy from the salesperson that greets you, takes the time and interest to find out how you intend to use the machine, and explains to you the after sales service in case something should go wrong with the computer.

Customer care is an essential part of doing business. Customers have to be enticed by:

The Product: a piece of garment, a house, a meal at a restaurant or facilities in a country club. The Price: Value for money. The Service: the convenience of location, ambiance, friendliness and responsiveness of the service providers.

Because service is intangible, an encounter between the customers and service provider, it enables organizations to be different. Warm, friendly and caring service providers may attract customers. Alternatively, rude and moody receptionists may upset and repel customers. Good customer care gives an organization a differentiating factor, and sets a business apart from its competitors. If customers perceive customer service as unsatisfactory, they will not hesitate to take their business elsewhere. A product can be "copied", but not service! Service involves people and emotions.

What makes some organizations so successful in pleasing customers? The answer lies in their employees, the staff. From the top management staff to the bottom rank and file, everyone is in the business of providing customer care. Customer care does not just involve smiling or saying nice things to customers. It entails achieving the organizational goals of meeting customer's needs, simplifying procedures for the customer, developing customer's loyalty and setting the business apart from its competitors.

Good customer care means making customers feel important, showing them that we value their relations with our organization and want to keep on serving them.

Good customer care can prevent problems. Employees with good customer care skills not only please customer's wants and wishes, but anticipate problems and are practical.

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