5 Ways to Improve your Customer Service

It is a shockingly high percentage of companies that look at customer service as an expense rather than an investment. Whether you are a two-man start up or a Fortune 500 company, customer service affects every portion of your business, and investing in it is mandatory for your success. No matter how great your merchandise is or how talented your staff is, customers are most likely to remember the direct interaction they have with your company.

Here are 5 ways to Improve your Customer Service:

1.  Survey: Ask your customers what they want, and then make sure you act upon it.

Listen to your customers, clients, patients and guests. What did they like about their experience with you? What didn’t they like? Once you have this information, acknowledge that you appreciate the feedback and become as transparent as possible about your solution to their comment. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised at how many companies do not survey their customers.

2. Identify your Customer Touchpoints: Look at the stages from your customer’s point of view.

According to SalesForce, “75% of consumers expect consistent experiences across multiple channels (web, mobile, in-person, social), with 73% likely to switch brands if they don’t get it. Customer loyalty — and attrition — is determined by every experience.”

What are they experiencing with every interaction, within every department, within every channel? Are your employees providing a consistent experience for your customer? If not, it is time to map the journey of your customer’s experience so that you can provide a consistent experience from start to finish.

3. Own it: Get it right the first time and take responsibility for each issue.

Simple is better, and your customers agree. According to Harvard Business Review, the number one factor in customer loyalty is reduction of customer effort. Your customers aren’t lazy or entitled; they are busy, and they want a simple experience when they choose to do business with you. Customers expect their issue to be resolved within one phone call. Is your staff trained to own it and solve the problem, even if it’s not their fault or not their departments’ responsibility? If not, see Training (#4).

4. Training: The companies that deliver world-class customer service are the companies that understand the value of training customer service skills. 

There is no ribbon cutting ceremony for World-Class Customer Service. It is your responsibility as an organization to constantly train and reinforce customer service skills. Providing your team with customer service training allows you to reinforce a customer-centric focus while sending the message that customer experience is a priority. Fully equipping your team with the skills and confidence they need to succeed creates a more pleasant work atmosphere.

5. Talk about it: Help your team understand why it is so important.

Find 5-10 minutes a few times a week to share positive customer feedback with your staff. Make sure your team understands the value of providing outstanding customer service. Harvard Business Review did a great study on quantifying the customer experience, and I encourage you to share these metrics with your team to reinforce the value of providing a positive customer experience. When you improve your customer service as an organization, everyone wins!

Happy Holidays!

Everyone from The DiJulius Group would like to wish you and your families the happiest of holidays. We love what we do because of the people we work with and for. Thank you and we look forward to seeing all of you in 2019!

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