We all know that it’s true – if you increase the quality of your customer service, you can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. What many companies haven’t figured out is exactly how to do that. You can’t just pay lip service to the idea of improving your customer service. You have to take dedicated action to do it right.
1. It all starts with hiring.
When you hire, at all levels of your organization, you have to look beyond the required skills and find employees with the right personality to fit the culture you want to cultivate. Bottom line, does the potential employee and your company mesh? Is there a similar philosophy that you all share about how work needs to get done and how you should communicate with a superior? Look at Apple. They hire based on potential and enthusiasm, not necessarily on your track record. They simply hire based on the fit of philosophy.
2. Make customer service everyone’s focus.
Everyone from the IT person to the frontline customer service representative should have the same focus. You don’t have a business without customers. Providing friendly, timely service within and without your organization should be made a priority from the first day an employee walks through the door. It should be well understood from everyone involved, bottom line, the customer comes first.
3. Training happens every day.
At most companies, training takes place the first few days on the job. At companies with the highest rated customer service, training is ongoing. There is always room to learn and grow. Your employees can thrive on continuing education if you give them the opportunity. Another important aspect is asking and valuing your employees opinions on what can be tweaked or changed completely to improve the customer service experience. It helps to listen to them!
4. Your employees are your biggest asset – and they are people!
If you want your employees to give your customers great customer service, then you have to treat your employees like valuable human beings. Happy employees will lead to happy customers. Take some time to show your appreciation to your employees and you will create loyalty. The kind of loyalty that cannot simply be bought through a paycheck. The kind of loyalty that will make an employee turn down an outside offer from another company because they have bought in to their current situation.
5. Make it fun for everyone!
No one wants to dread going to work every day. When you foster a rewarding environment, your employees will reflect that in their interactions with each other and your customers.
Go give these 5 tips a trial in your business today and see the improvement, and yes, do come back here to drop your comment.