Outstanding customer service is the key to creating a successful
organization during any economic time… but especially during challenging
economic times.
It’s amazing how most organizations will invest millions, if not
billions, of dollars on new computer systems, new displays, new phone
systems, and new marketing campaigns to try to acquire new customers. The
moment of truth comes, however, when the new customer has first contact with
these organizations. If the customer is ignored, disrespected, and
disappointed with the customer service experience, that customer may never
come back. When this occurs, these organizations apparently haven’t heard
the old saying, “You only get one chance to make a great first impression.”
What about the present customer base? Many times these customers
are treated with indifference and, in many cases, quietly go away to do
business with a competitor.
Why not jumpstart your organization’s success with outstanding
customer service? It doesn’t matter if you are involved in retail,
restaurant management, consumer products, or even the government, customer
service is being recognized as the key to increasing productivity,
decreasing employee turnover, and increasing an organization’s bottom line.
Especially during challenging economic times, the quality of your customer
service determines if you remain in business to serve customers or cease to
exist.
The following are eight secrets to giving outstanding customer
service so that your organization will be successful:
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Hire Right for Outstanding Customer Service
Organizations that give outstanding customer
service invest in hiring right each and every time. They realize that they
want the best employees interacting with their customers. Who is the best
customer service employee to hire? Hire for attitude, not for aptitude.
Hire the employee that has a great customer service attitude and has a great
personality, takes initiative, has great communication skills, can show
empathy, and has an eye for detail. If a prospective customer service
employee has a great attitude, you can always train that employee to learn
the skills. Also, the employee should be a solution creator, not a problem
maker.
