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IN CHALLENGING TIMES,
SERVICE MATTERS MOST!
As we adjust to difficult economic times, some
businesses cut costs by cutting corners on customer
service. This is exactly the wrong thing to do. Right
now, service matters more than ever. Here's why:
1. When people buy during an economic downturn they are
extremely conscious of the "hard earned" money that they
spend. Customers want more attention, appreciation and
recognition for their purchases, not less.
2. Customers want to be sure they get maximum value for
the money they choose to spend. They want assistance,
education, training, installation,
modifications and support. The basic product may remain
the same, but they want more service.
3. Customers want stronger guarantees that their
purchase was "the right thing to do". In good times, a
single bad purchase may be quickly overlooked or
forgotten, but in tough times, every expenditure is
scrutinized. Provide the assurance your customers seek
with generous service guarantees, regular follow-up and
speedy follow-through on any queries or complaints.
4. In tough times, people spend less time travelling,
wining and dining, and more time carefully shopping for
each and every purchase. Giving good service enhances
the customer's shopping experience, and boosts your own
company image.
When times are good, people move fast and sometimes
don't notice your efforts. In tighter times, people move
more cautiously, and notice every extra effort that you
make.
5. When money is tight, many people experience a sense
of lower self-esteem. When they get good service from
your business it boosts their self-image. And when they
feel good about themselves, they feel good about you.
And when they feel good about you, they buy.
6. In tough times, people talk more with each other
about saving money and getting good value. "Positive
word of mouth" is a powerful force at any time. In
difficult times, even more ears will be listening. Be
sure the words spoken about your business are good ones.
So giving good service in tough times makes good
business sense. But how do you actually achieve it? Here
are eight proven principles you can use. I call them
"The Secrets of Superior Service":
1. Understand how your customers' expectations are
rising and changing over time. What was good enough last
year may not be good enough now. Use customer surveys,
interviews and focus groups to really understand what
your customers want, what they value, and think about
what they are getting, (or not getting) from your
business.
2. Use quality service to differentiate your business
from your competition. Your products must be reliable
and up to date ... but your competitors'
are, too. Your delivery systems must be fast and
user-friendly, but so are your competitors'!
Make a real difference by providing personalized,
responsive and "extra-mile service" that stands out in a
unique way that customers will appreciate, and remember.
3. Set and achieve high service standards. Go beyond
basic and expected levels of service to provide your
customers with desired and even surprising interactions.
Determine the "norm" for service in your industry, and
then find a way to go beyond it. Give more choice than
"usual", be more flexible than "normal", be "faster"
than the average and extend a
"better" warranty than all the others.
Your customers will notice your higher standards. But
eventually they'll be copied by your competitors, too.
So don't slow down. Keep on
improving!
4. Learn to manage your customer's expectations. You
can't always give customers everything their hearts
desire. Sometimes you need to bring their
expectations into line with what you know you can
deliver.
The best way to do this is by first building a
reputation for making and keeping clear promises. Once
you have established a base of trust and good
reputation, you only need to ask your customers for
their patience in the rare circumstances when you cannot
meet their first requests. Nine times out of 10 they
will extend the understanding and the leeway
that you need.
The second way to manage customer's expectations is with
the tactic called "Under Promise, then Over Deliver". It
works like this: your customer wants something done
FAST. You know it will take one hour
to complete. Don't tell your customer! Let them know you
will rush the project…but then promise 90 minutes. Then,
when you are done in just an hour (as you knew you would
be all along), your customer will be delighted that you
actually finished the job "so quickly".
5. Bounce back with effective service recovery.
Sometimes things do go wrong. When it happens to your
customers, do everything you can to set things right
again. Fix the problem. Show sincere concern for any
discomfort, frustration or inconvenience. Then "do a
little bit more" by giving your customers something
positive to remember a token of
goodwill, a small gift of appreciation, a discount on
future orders, or an upgrade to a higher class of
product.
This is not the time to lay blame for what went wrong,
or to calculate the costs of repair. Restoring customer
goodwill is worth the price in future orders and new
business.
6. Appreciate your complaining customers. Customers with
complaints can be your best allies in building and
improving your business. They point out
where your system is faulty, procedures are weak or
problematic. They show you where your products are below
expectations or your service doesn't measure up. They
point out areas where your competitors are
getting ahead, or where your staff is falling behind.
These are the same insights and conclusions that people
pay consultants to provide. But a
"complainer" gives them to you free!
And remember, for every one person who complains, there
are many more who won't even bother to tell you. The
others just take their business elsewhere. At least the
complainer gives you a chance to reply and set things
right.
7. Take personal responsibility. In many organizations,
people are quick to blame others for problems or
difficulties at work: managers blame staff, staff blame
managers, engineering blames sales, sales blames
marketing and everyone blames finance. This doesn't
help. In fact, with all the
finger pointing going on, it tends to make things worse.
Blaming yourself doesn't work either. No matter how many
mistakes you may have made, tomorrow is another chance
to do better. You need high self-esteem to give good
service. Feeling "ashamed" doesn't help.
It doesn't make sense to blame the computers, the system
or the budget, either. This kind of justification only
prolongs the pain before the necessary changes take
place.
The most reliable way to bring about constructive change
in your organization is to Take Personal Responsibility
and help make good things happen. Make recommendations,
propose new ideas, give your suggestions, volunteer to
help out with problem-solving teams and projects.
8. See the world from your customers' point of view. We
often get so caught up in our own world that we lose
sight of what our customers actually experience.
Make time to stand on the other side of the counter, or
listen on the other end of the phone. Be a "mystery
shopper" at your own place of business. Or be a customer
for your competition. What you notice is what your
customers experience every day!
Finally, remember that service is the currency that
keeps our economy moving. I serve you in one business,
you serve me in another. When either of us improves, the
economy gets a little better. When both of us improve,
people are sure to take notice. When everyone improves,
the whole world grows stronger and closer together.
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- Ron's successful background includes high-impact special events at the
Rose Bowl, the Great Wall of China, St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow and on the Capitol
Mall in Washington DC. His unique approaches to leadership and learning have been featured
in LIFE Magazine, the New York Times and frequently on TV. A graduate of Brown University,
USA, Ron is certified in Applied Neuro-linguistics and is a professional member of the
National Speakers Association. For more information please visit his web site: http://www.ronkaufman.com/
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