Elevating Customer Service: from Good to Excellent
Posted on 13th March 2023 at 07:41
Good customer service or just good manners? What makes good customer service?
A friendly greeting, a smile, and some pleasant small talk perhaps. These small things do not make good customer service; they are merely good manners. Every single customer expects these things from your staff, no matter what business or service you may provide. Large companies operating in multiple locations will sometimes issue a script to their employees, to ensure each customer interaction meets certain criteria and follows a predictable pattern that leads, ultimately, to the customer making a purchase. While this method may work for large companies, this type of depersonalised interaction does not make a small business successful. In order to get ahead of the competition, small businesses need to raise the bar and deliver excellent customer service that makes each interaction feel focused, personal, and professional.
During my many years managing large teams of staff, I have observed (and taken part in) a great deal of customer service interactions. It was quite clear to me that few people expect excellent customer service, meaning that when my staff succeeded in giving excellent service they felt satisfied, listened to, and were more likely to use our service or recommend it to others. The difference between good and excellent can be bridged if your staff have been properly prepared to deliver it; this is were East Saxon Training can help. I feel that it is important for smaller businesses to be equipped to compete with larger chains and franchises, and that this can be achieved through exceptional customer care and personalised interactions. I believe that customers value this type of special care, and that loyalty to your business is earned almost entirely through positive staff engagement with customers.
Our training course in Customer Care allows your staff to learn new ways to help customers by understanding how their own behaviour is the groundwork on which the interaction is built. Through this new conceptualisation of customer care, your staff can increase customer loyalty and improve the standing of your business, in addition to improving their own job satisfaction levels. Being properly prepared allows your staff to feel more confident about handling complex situations, leading to a more effective team. The benefits of this are then reflected in all aspects of your businesses, from increased positive reviews to happier staff. By elevating your businesses customer service standards you will be able to leave lasting, positive impressions on customers; this gives you an edge over larger businesses that rely on their size and scale to drive costs down. We remember excellent customer care long after we bought the product, or used the service; long-lasting customer loyalty will only be earned by your staff, the key members of your business.
If you think we can help you and your team, please reach out to EST. Together we can prepare your staff for all the challenges they have to face in their customer care interactions, helping to improve their job satisfaction as well as your business' standing.
-David Hewitt
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