The desire to provide exceptional customer service is a good start. In order to make it a reality you need to have a mixture of the right elements.
What makes any business initiative successful is the right blend of great aspects all assembled in a way that has them working together towards a common goal. Customer service is no exception. To take good care of your clients and deliver an exceptional customer experience you must have all the right pieces in place and utilize them properly. Here’s what you need and how to deploy it for a great customer service game to come together.
1. Culture
It all begins with your company culture. Your mission, vision and values must all reflect a desire to serve with an emphasis on keeping your customer front and center. A company culture that has a foundation of serving others sets your whole organization up for all kinds of success. It it a consistent reminder of what your focus should be any time decisions must be made. It attracts the kind of people who have a passion for service and those are the folks you want working for and running your company.
2. People
Speaking of people who are a part of your organization, they are an integral part of the customer service formula. If you hire employees who aren’t passionate about taking care of your customers, then there is no way to have success in customer service in the long run. Sure, some people can fake it for a little while, but ultimately their lack of dedication to providing an exceptional customer experience comes through. Every member of you team needs to harness a friendly, helpful attitude in order to create positive encounters for your customers.
3. Technology and Tools
Giving your people the means to carry out your customer-centric mission is critical. A positive approach and can-do attitude will only get you so far. You’ve got to make it simple for your staff to assist and delight your customers, and you can do so by using the right tools and tech. An easy-to-use website, powerful customer relationship management systems, and products/services that harness technology to forge a positive customer experience are all components of this step. You should also leverage technology and tools that help customer help themselves. For example, a good online portal that enables them to manage their accounts however they please is one of many ways to empower your customers.
4. Reliability and Accessibility
Delivering exceptional customer service is all well and good, but if you struggle to do this consistently, then your customers will struggle to trust you. Customers have so many ways to get in touch with your business around the clock and you have to make sure you’re responding to them all in a timely manner. Check email messages frequently. Monitor your social media accounts for customer interactions. Answer all calls quickly. The list goes on and it can start to feel a bit overwhelming. How are you supposed to be available to help your customers on a 24/7 basis? Well, an after hours answering service can help with that. In fact, a professional answering service can really help you build a solid reputation for offering exceptional customer service.
5. That Something Extra
You can’t provide a fantastic customer experience without going the extra mile. Going above and beyond whenever possible will stand out for each customer on the receiving end. When you really own a situation, take responsibility for seeing it through to the end, and do all that is in your power to ensure someone is taken care of, then you will surely accumulate a lot of fans. And don’t just be reactive to customer service situations. Get proactive about customer service and reach out to tell them you’re thinking about them and see if there is anything you can do to improve their experience before there is ever even a problem. It’s that kind of approach that will have you winning the customer service game.
Well, there they are. Five of the key elements to providing exceptional customer service. There is a lot that goes into fashioning a company that is known for its success with customers. It takes dedication at every turn. But one thing is for sure. It’s worth it. Because companies who deliver exceptional customer service are regularly successful.
