Truly Memorable Customer Service: When Was the Last Time?
January 22, 2007
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou
When was the last time you received truly memorable customer service? If you're like most people it's hard to think of a time that stands out. You're probably wondering why that is. Well, so did I.
It seemed like with most of the places I patronized, the situation was the same. Take, for instance, the bank that I used to go to. I realized that I had been banking in the same place for three years, yet no one seemed to recognize me. And, if they did, they never let me know. In addition, I rarely got a "Thank you." or "Is there anything else I can do for you?" I felt taken for granted. Not that this should have been like a love affair, but shouldn't I have felt like I had some kind of a relationship with these people? Shouldn't they have told me that they wanted me to come back again? The answer is yes. The experience wasn't horrible for me, but after three years, I just wanted a better one. So, I shopped for another bank.
Developing a Customer-Driven Business
So why aren't more businesses creating lots of positive memorable experiences? Perhaps it's because most customer service representatives are not trained appropriately, if they are trained at all.
Customer service personnel, in fact all employees in an organization who interface with customers, need to be trained on how to create and reaffirm solid relationships with customers. When this is done well customers stay, they buy more, and they refer more. Taking service to this level involves empathy and a significant array of communication skills. But your people can and will provide service like that if you train them, and they clearly know that your goal as an organization is to consistently create positive memorable customer experiences.
Treating Customer Service as a Business Opportunity
Organizations that train their employees how to deliver memorable service at all touch points with their customers, know that service is a serious business opportunity when it:
- Increases your retention of customers which increases profitability.
- Expands business with current customers which grows revenue.
- Inspires current customers to refer you to new prospects, which grows your business.
All of the above equal a stronger bottom line. It justifies the kind of training that enables individuals and teams to deliver memorable, customer-centric service.
Quote for the Week
"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends." - Walt Disney
Sources:
Vital Learning Corporation (2007).