by Janice Heath

Created on: May 03, 2010   Last Updated: May 04, 2010

Good customer service consists of sourcing and providing the best possible product or service to meet the customer's needs.  It also involves the delivery of the product or service in an efficient, timely and professional manner and the provision of any after sales service which may be appropriate in the particular situation.  To improve customer service, an organization should examine its performance in the following areas:

 1.  Offering a Quality Product

Whatever business an organization is in, it should be striving to produce the best possible product or service in the field.  This is true whether the product is high value or low value.  For example, If you produce the cheapest widgets in the West, ensure that your cheap widgets are the best quality cheap widgets to be had for the price.

 2.  Level of Customer Satisfaction

Customer service is all about the customer's perception of the level of service they are receiving.  Seeking continual feedback from internal and external customers can assist in informing management decisions regarding improvements in service delivery.  Indicators such as the level of staff morale, customer complaints and sales figures can all be good barometers of an organization's success or otherwise in serving its customers. 

3.  Swift Service

Whether a customer contacts an organization in person, on the phone, via email or through the ordinary mail, the organization needs to respond promptly. Keeping statistics of the turnaround time between customer enquiry and company response provides information on the level of customer service being offered in terms of timeliness.  If response time is stretching out too far, then it is wise to either change the relevant processes or to command additional resources to meet the customer's requirements without unnecessary delays.

4.  Improving Work Processes

Organizations should undertake regular checks on their methodology for sourcing and delivering their products and services. Feedback can be sought from staff members on the current functionality of work processes and areas that they consider might benefit from changes.  Monitoring the quality, reliability and competitiveness of suppliers and keeping abreast of the emergence of new products and services in areas of interest are some of the ways organizations can continually optimize their time, resources and processes in order to serve their customers better.

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