STRENGTHENING THE FRONT LINE
Executives and managers must make
good customer service a priority
By Emily Huling, CIC, CMC
It's so tempting to place the responsibility for creating happy, loyal customers on the front-line employees.
After all, many problems can emerge during the course of ongoing customer service relationships--problems that directly involve these employees.
But the truth is that most of the responsibility falls directly on the shoulders of the executives and managers of the organization. As one of those leaders, ask yourself these questions:
* Is my firm clearly committed to customer satisfaction?
* Do I have a written customer service philosophy?
* Are my internal customers (employees) treated as well as my external customers?
* Do I celebrate success when my firm delivers outstanding service?
*Do I have a formal program in place to address customer complaints?
* Do I use customer complaints as a learning tool?
* Is customer service a part of an ongoing education program?
If you are deficient in any of these areas or want some new ideas to add to what you're already doing, here are some suggestions:
Be a role model. All of us set examples with each and every action. Improper customer service behavior that occurs in the absence of customers will carry over to when the customer is present. Recently, in a client's office, I witnessed a lead customer service representative complaining to one and all about a customer after hanging up the phone. When I questioned her about her outburst, she immediately became defensive. She said that she would never show that attitude to the customer. Maybe not. But what message did this senior person send to her coworkers about how she really feels about her customers and her job?
Address each customer problem or complaint immediately. Nothing is more disturbing to customers than not having their problems acknowledged. Even if a remedy is not immediate, advise customers what you will be doing and when. Recently, I was very impressed with the service I received from Bank of America. A Visa card payment I had mailed to Bank of America had not been credited to my account. After checking with my local bank to be sure the check had cleared (it had), I called Bank of America anticipating a struggle. To my surprise, the employee I spoke with (after I survived the world of automated selection) quickly transferred me to her supervisor, who immediately gave me her name and number and listened to my problem. She asked when I normally get my bank statement and would I please fax her the canceled check when I received it. She assured me the finance charges would be dropped, and she apologized for the inconvenience. Good job!
Create with your staff a Ten Commandments of Customer Service. The delivery of outstanding service requires an ongoing commitment by everyone within the organization. Each employee needs to give his or her own agreement. Ask all associates to make a list of how they would want to be treated if they did business with your firm. At a brainstorming meeting, compile the lists. Discuss which ones would apply to your business as a whole. Agree on the 10 that best apply. Meet again to finalize the list, and discuss the ways to put them into practice. Several of the commandments from my suggested list are:
* "Convey an attitude of appreciation for your customers. Show gratitude for their business."
* "Don't judge customers. Treat them all as if they are the only customers you have."
* "Keep your mind and body on the job 100% of the time. Leave your personal baggage at the door."
Refer to your firm's commandments often, and share personal stories as to how and when they apply in a day's work.
For a sample Ten Commandments of Customer Service, go to www.sellingstrategies.com and click on "Free Stuff."
Recognize and reward outstanding customer service. One of my clients gives blue ribbons to individuals who provide exemplary customer service. As office manager, she learns about these positive actions from coworkers or the customers themselves. After receiving a compliment, service representatives may ask permission to transfer the customer to the manager to let her know about his or her satisfaction. In addition, coworkers, as internal customers to each other, are encouraged to recognize one another for their positive efforts. Once an individual receives 10 blue ribbons, he or she may redeem them for a $50 gift certificate at a local restaurant. Employees proudly display their earned ribbons. They are constant reminders that the company goal is to provide exceptional customer service.
Keep learning. Learning is not an isolated event; it's an ongoing process. There's no excuse not to learn new things every day. Fortunately, today we have choices of where, when, and how our learning takes place. We can learn online, with CDs, in the car, through television, using video or telephone teleconferencing, and attending instructor-led sessions, and in small informal learning groups. The challenge is not the learning itself. It's the retention and application of the information.
To help people apply what they have learned, ask each person to keep a learning journal. A notebook should be used to record customer service ideas and experiences. In addition to formal learning sessions, ideas can come from reading, observing, discussion, and personal experiences. Consider what was learned in positive and negative situations, both as a consumer and a provider. Share journal entries with coworkers for all to learn.
Learning accompanies teaching. Ask for volunteers to teach customer service skills. Learning the subject matter and communicating it is the best way for people to retain the knowledge and apply it.
Make delivering outstanding customer service an organizational priority led by the leaders and managers of your firm. The result is a happier, more productive environment and satisfied customers. And that's what makes businesses grow and prosper. *
The author
Emily Huling, CIC, CMC, is the author of Selling in a Hard Market. Emily helps the insurance industry achieve customer service and sales excellence through speaking, workshops, and consulting. For information, visit www.sellingstrategies.com or call (888) 309-8802.