Building high levels of customer loyalty and satisfaction requires a wise balance of cost, quality, timeliness and customer treatment. In her book, "The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service," Donna Cutting focuses on the latter.
Here is some of the author's advice on customer service:
No. 1. Customers ought to be treated like celebrities. Why? Celebrities have the red carpet rolled out, they are looked on as VIPs, and they are treated like royalty. Don't you want your customers to prefer your business - and wouldn't you like them to spread positive word-of-mouth recommendations about your product or company? Now, that's a competitive advantage, Cutting says.
No. 2. Resist saying no, when you could say yes. The author points out how quickly and how oftencustomer service employees and even managers mechanically tell customers no.
In the classic book "Service America," authors Karl Albrecht and Ron Zemke call this trap "rule-bookism" - pointing out how companies resort to rules to manage the customer experience versus creating solutions and going extra lengths to deliver memorable experiences.
No. 3. Own the problem. Rather than blame someone else in the company, or bounce the customer around from one department to another to the point of blood-pressure-rising frustration, take ownership and solve customer problems fast. The author advises that companies allow and equip their people to take ownership for the customer's satisfaction.
No. 4. Measure, then ask. In my opinion, this is one of the most significant points the author could have made. To get better at service, an organization must constantly measure objectives then make improvements.
The fact is that organizations with consistently high customer satisfaction levels regularly measure satisfaction levels from the only view that matters, their customers.
No. 5. Emphasize the right performance determinants with employees. In other words, reinforce and reward for behaviors that will make a noticeable impact on the customer's experience. Emphasizing operational factors such as cleanliness or speed is fine, but equally stress the importance of personal helpfulness, friendliness and attitude, if you want customers to have a positive experience that can set your business apart.
No. 6. Have clear, written standards of service and live by them. Don't turn customer service into a fancy slogan or theme. This is a common mistake and employees almost never take these attempts seriously.
Failing to prioritize customer treatment as a competitive advantage can result in delivering forgettable service to customers and suffering from future lost business or profits.
Fortunately, red carpet service can and still does occur. For example, my son, Jonathan, recently took his car to an auto upholstery business to repair a loose seat cover. Over the phone, Bear Auto Trim Inc. in Springfield quoted $50, which he was prepared to pay when he went to their shop the next day. The gentleman looked at the seat, brought out a special needle and thread, and sewed it up good as new, sending Jonathan on his way. When Jonathan asked how much he owed, the man replied, "Nothing, just send us business some day."
Predictably, my son shared this simple act of red-carpet service with several people.
Cutting's advice is a good reminder that great service still pays.
[[In-content Ad]]Springfield-based consultant Mark Holmes speaks nationally on increasing employee and customer retention and improving employee performance. He is the author of "Wooing Customers Back" and "The People Keeper," and his ideas have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on Fox Business Network. He can be reached at mholmes@thepeoplekeeper.com.
