What are people saying about your business and why does it matter?
On average, someone will tell three people about good customer service — but 14 people will hear about a bad experience! People can remember every last detail of a negative customer experience, but forget the details when the experience meets expectations. So, how can you manager your company's customer service reputation?
Find Out What Customers Think
Know what's being said about you. Friends, family and regulars are a start, but they won't give you the unbiased information you need. Customer comment cards, mystery shopping programs, or even eavesdropping on customer conversations all are good tools that will provide you with information on customer satisfaction.
But since you have a business to run, isn't it in your best interest to find less time-intensive ways to measure customer satisfaction?
Put technology to work for you. Use the Internet to capture customer feedback, and then have the feedback scored and sorted so that you only see the scores that concern you. Or, hire a mystery shopping company to develop a program tailored to your specific needs. Have them send you the individual reports monthly, and year-to-date summary reports less frequently.
But never rely entirely on reports. Spend one day a month walking the floor and striking up conversations with your customers. Ask for their thoughts about their experiences, and assure them you'll appreciate their candor. This is a great way to capture information, while building rapport with your customers.
Responsiveness Is Critical
Most business people think that mistakes — wrong orders, defective merchandise, disconnected phone calls — are what drive customers away. They're wrong. Customers tolerate mistakes — but the failure to respond quickly and fairly to resolve matters kills relationships. So, review your customer return or complaint resolution policy — not from your perspective, but from the customer's.
A famous story about Nordstrom is an example of how great customer service policies build great reputations: A customer came into a Nordstrom store carrying a car tire and demanding a refund because it wore out too quickly.
"I'd like to help you, sir, but we don't sell tires," the sales associate said. "We sell apparel and accessories."
"My wife says she bought it here, and that's good enough for me. Your advertising says you'll take anything back if I'm dissatisfied—so I want my money back," the customer said.
"Do you have the receipt?" the associate asked.
"Do you expect me to save a receipt from three years ago?" the customer shouted.
"Why no, sir, I was just trying to determine how much to refund to you!"
Whether true or not, the fact that the story appeared says much about how Nordstrom is enshrined in popular culture. Are your own customer return or complaint policies written to be as fair as possible to the average customer—or only to "protect" you? Attracting and cultivating loyal customers is costly, so isn't it worth occasionally taking back an old tire to keep a customer happy?
Empower Employees To Make A Difference
Customer service policies are great, but don't tie your people up in the fine print. If the manager isn't available, empower employees to make their own calls on how to solve a customer problem. But don't punish them if you think they went overboard. Letting employees act on behalf of your company—in the customer's best interests—sends the most powerful message you can to both the employee and the customer: customer satisfaction matters! This will pay more dividends than you can imagine.
Don't Kill The Messenger
If employees fail to provide good service, it may not be their fault. Lack of training or ineffective supervision and feedback may be the root of the problem. Employees are a reflection of what your company needs to do better in order to be at its best.
Don't blame them. Prevent mistakes and consistently improve employee performance by providing good training and positive feedback. Start by acknowledging the good things employees are doing. They'll be much more receptive to pointers on how to improve. Compliment them regularly, not just as a lead-in to a criticism. Then, if necessary, follow up with constructive feedback on what they can improve.
"The One Minute Manager" says we too often dwell on mistakes, yet most of our time is spent doing things right. Employees show up on time, appropriately attired, serve customers, write orders, and collect money. They keep your business running. A good word will go a long way toward making them feel more positive about their jobs—and if they feel more positive, they will treat your customers better. You get back from your business what you put into it.
