Shep Hyken's Blog, page 214

Customer Service Debacle Resolution Teaches Valuable Business Lesson

You Can Get More than Tax Advice from TurboTax

Recently Intuit, the company that created TurboTax software for individuals to do their own taxes, made a customer service mistake. The good news (See story here.) is that they turned it around and thereby created a great case study for us to learn from.

Here is the short version: In the most recent update of their software, the developers of TurboTax purposely left out a very important feature that had been included in earlier versions. Certain customers who had used TurboTax for years found out in the middle of doing their tax preparation that they would have to pay more to get an upgrade that included the necessary forms for them to complete their return.

The customers affected by the change were upset. So, upset that they went on Amazon.com and other review sites and gave TurboTax a one star rating.

So, how did Intuit react to the uproar?

The first thing they did was apologize. On the Intuit website, which sells TurboTax, an apology was made and an offer to refund $25 to customers who paid extra to file their tax returns. Sason Goodarzi, the general manager of TurboTax made the following statement:

“We messed up. We made a change this year to TurboTax desktop software and we didn’t do enough to communicate this change to you as proactively and broadly as we could or should have. I am very sorry for the anger and frustration we may have caused you.”

Apparently this wasn’t enough. Shortly after the apology on the website, Intuit’s CEO, Brad Smith, posted a video on his LinkedIn account which included the following message: “We’re taking new steps to make things right.” Smith’s heartfelt apology helped.

Intuit had a crisis on their hands. The customer reaction was anger and a loss of loyalty, as customers switched to Intel’s competition, H & R Block. The mistake was that they made a change to a product that some say put profit motive ahead of their customer. Nothing wrong with making a profit, but how you go about it is very important.

So, Intuit had to make a quick move. They did some things right to bring back many of their customers, which we can learn from.

They acknowledged the problem as they saw the customer comments.
They apologized for it. Very important whenever there is a mistake. This mistake was big enough that the CEO had to make a public apology, which sent a very positive message.
They fixed the problem by offering the refunds and upgrades.
They took accountability. The general manager and CEO’s message was clear that they were taking steps to right the wrong.
They did it quickly. Their fast reaction convinced many of the customers who were thinking of abandoning the software to stay.

Is it enough? I’m sure that some customers won’t come back, yet many will. The way the problem was handled proved that Intuit listens to their customers. Intuit learned a valuable lesson, and by the way they handled it, so did we.

The five steps mentioned above are exactly how most situations should be handled to not just fix the problem, but restore the customer’s confidence.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

 

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5 Top Customer Service Articles for the Week of February 23, 2015

TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BUSINESS ARTICLES

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

When and Why to Part Ways with a Customer by Lior Arussy

(Harvard Business Review) The customer is not always right and in some cases should not be the customer at all. It’s time to end the fear of customers’ public feedback and to start managing relationships with abusive customers in a disciplined way.

My Comment: Sometimes a customer just isn’t worth doing business with! And, sometimes you will have to (not always because you want to) fire the customer. That’s okay, but it’s important to remember this. While the customer may not always be right, they are always a customer. So, let the customer be wrong with dignity and respect. In other words, regardless of how bad the situation is with your customer, finish strong!

9 Images Capturing Omni-Channel Customer Service by Shai Berger

(Fonolo)  Being able to deliver consistent and effective service in a multi-channel / omni-channel environment is a tough challenge. That, along with rising consumer expectations for rapid and hassle-free customer service, has made it critical for companies to focus on this challenge.

My Comment: While telephone seems to be the main mode of customer support (and will continue to be into the foreseeable future), we can’t ignore chat, text, social and email. Great article that showcases the multiple channels of customer service.

3 Quick Tips To Deliver An Unforgettable Customer Experience by Chris Frascella

(WinTheCustomer!) According to Google, it beats customer service in terms of average monthly search volume 380k+ to 200k. Why is experience nearly twice as popular – what’s the big deal anyway?

My Comment: It’s important for a company to understand the difference between customer service and customer experience. No doubt that the service plays an important part of the experience. The three tips in the article will undoubtedly enhance both customer service and experience.

Find Ways to Improve Multi-channel Customer Service by West Marketing

(West Interactive) Creating an exceptional customer experience isn’t as easy as catching a snowflake, but identifying preferences, analyzing data and developing strategies for appropriate responsive and proactive communication in multiple channels are good steps.

My Comment: Great article with stats and facts that will make any company think about the different communication channels customers want to use to connect.  For example, it still surprises me that with so many people on Twitter, who hope for an answer within an hour, the average response time from a company is about five hours. At least that is better than the recent statistic I read that was nine hours.  (Wow!)

And the Winner Is … Customer Service! by SAP CRM

(The Customer Edge) While the Oscars this week are saluting those who entertain and inspire, this is a good time to salute customer service and celebrate its value. Customer service is so vital that it deserves to be embedded at the very heart of your mission.

My Comment: The four ideas in this article are non-negotiable customer service strategies and tactics. Know your customers journey. Train your people well. Be on the right channels – the ones that your customer like to use. And, listen to your customers.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to  www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

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Guest Blog: Your opinion counts – or does it?

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague John Smart writes about how important it is to listen to your customers, not simply tell them your opinion. – Shep Hyken

‘In my opinion….?’ ‘Can I give you my opinion…?’

Of course you can give me your opinion, but whether I will take it on board is another matter.

The problem with opinion is that it’s personal.  If you analyse how it is said it is almost always started with ‘my….’ when someone is offering it to you.

Though ‘my’ opinion of something may differ from ‘your’ opinion. You may like Italian food – I may dislike it (I don’t, but humour me). If you are eating an Italian meal in front of me, and I start saying that it’s awful, it’s not nice….. – that’s my opinion. However, you will carry on eating it – because it works for you and you enjoy it.

Those working in customer service are bombarded by people giving their ‘opinion’. In some customer service situations customers are encouraged to give their ‘opinion’. It will then depend on the organisation to filter out the personal from the constructive.  Therefore, an organisation, or an individual needs to be careful if asking for opinion. While the intention may be good, in most cases the opinion may not be acted upon because, as in the Italian food example, what they are doing works for them.

Opinion can sometimes be compared to a badly made cappuccino – all froth and no coffee!

What is needed here, is feedback, not in the form of opinion but good, effective feedback.

But how can this be achieved?

Well, don’t say ‘my opinion’ for a start or use associated terms like ‘In my view…..’  Focus on facts, not just personal views.
Unless the feedback is going to achieve the desired change – then don’t give it.  Otherwise it becomes opinion. In the Italian food example I didn’t change the other person’s view (perhaps only that the person wouldn’t eat Italian in front of me or order me Italian food).

If you do find yourself in the position of being offered (or told) the opinion of someone:

Listen
Ask them to clarify, to explain.
Listen

Example:

Customer: ‘In my opinion you don’t understand the problem here, if you did – you wouldn’t be doing that for a start.’

You: ‘OK, thanks, can you go into a little more detail? Just so I understand exactly what it is you require.’

They now have to clarify or explain the rationale for their ‘opinion’, and this becomes effective feedback.

It’s not to say opinion is bad, it has to be taken into context, and if your intention is to get that person’s personal view of something – then opinion is now in the right context.

So remember, when asking for someone’s opinion you will get their personal view, which may not match the view of others as a general rule. Also, that giving your opinion may not necessarily change or be acted upon.

Please note: this article is based purely on my opinion……..

John Smart is a development consultant, running his own consultancy. He has held senior management positions gained in Consultancy, SMEs and FTSE 100 companies, within a diverse array of industries. He is the author of PROUD – Achieving Customer Service Excellence.

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A Purposeful Customer Experience Shouldn’t Happen By Accident

Customer Success

The customer experience shouldn’t happen by accident. It should be planned and thought out well in advance of the success you hope to have with your customers.

I recently had a conversation with someone who helped focus my long term strategic plans. We talked about the success I had in the past and what I hoped would be continued success in the future. I am very goal-oriented and shared my goals for the upcoming quarter, for the year, and even for ten years. These included the number of speaking engagements I wanted to do, the number of training dates our trainers would book, the growth in our online university and more. While she seemed impressed, she asked me how I planned to make those goals a reality. I told her what had been successful in the past, and how it should continue to take me into the future.

Her response took me by surprise. She informed me that I had been successful by accident. While I had my goals, the detail about how I planned to achieve these goals was minimal.

That made me think about how many organizations go about delivering great customer service. In effect, they do it by accident. They hire good people and hope they will deliver based on their past experience. Some companies take it a step further and have some training. Still they are just hoping to achieve what the customer would consider to be a great customer service experience.

Customer service doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with hiring the right people and training them, but that still may not be enough. The best companies don’t take a chance. They actually design the experience. So here are a few steps in the process to help you move from accidental to purposeful amazing customer service.

Already mentioned is hiring and training. By the way, training should be ongoing – not a one-time thing. Training isn’t something you did. It’s something you do. It doesn’t always have to be a big training session. If you have a weekly meeting, take several minutes to highlight customer service and share a tip.
Create the customer journey map. This is plotting out all of the touch-points that the customer has with your organization. This shows the obvious places where the customer can form an impression, and where the opportunities are to make that impression a Moment of Magic®.
When you are looking at the journey map, determine what goes on behind the scenes that drives the experience at any particular touch-point. For example, a server at a restaurant may take the customer’s order and five minutes later come back with the food. There is a lot that happens behind the scenes to ensure that food comes out in a timely manner and is prepared the way it is meant to be. What are the friction points that could hurt the front line touch-point? How can they be mitigated or even eliminated? What can you do to enhance or make the frontline touch-point better?
Train people on how to deal with mistakes and complaints. It’s not a matter of if you will ever have one of these Moments of Misery™, it’s when. The best companies make mistakes and have complaints, but they have trained their people and have a system that turns that Moment of Misery™ into a Moment of Magic®.

Don’t rely on chance or luck to make you successful. Be purposeful. Plan with detail. A long term successful customer service initiative doesn’t happen by accident.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

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5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of February 16, 2015

TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BUSINESS ARTICLES

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Customer Experience Is the Brand Differentiator by Jim Tierney

(Loyalty 360) Customer experience is such a massively important focus now for brands because they know it can be the most crucial differentiating factor in their collective goal of brand loyalty.

My Comment: Customer service can be your brand differentiator, and it seems that a large percentage of retailers (but true in just about any industry) agree with that statement. What’s important to remember is that regardless of how hard you promote that brand, it will be your customer’s decision as to whether or not you delivered on the brand promise.

Want Better Customer Reviews? Be A Better Company by Ben Schiller

(Fast Company) Customers will tolerate being screwed over by a company much more calmly if that company gives a slice of its profits to good causes.

My Comment: Interesting article on how socially conscious companies get a little leeway from their customers when it comes to delivering a less than stellar customer service experience. Now imagine if the company provided great service and was socially conscious – now that’s a combination! (Think Whole Foods and Richard Branson’s Virgin Unite.)

How Ace Hardware Turned Corner Stores Into A $4.7 Billion Co-Op by Claire O’Conner

(Forbes) The reason for success, explains Ace CEO John Venhuizen, a charismatic 44-year-old who speaks with the fervor of a preacher, is store owners like the Melnicks: entrepreneurs with a deep knowledge of their local market, inventory fine-tuned to a neighborhood’s demographic and the sort of exacting customer service a typical big-box store with low pay and high employee turnover just can’t match.

My Comment: Outstanding article on Ace Hardware, who is one of my favorite customer service role models. Their business model is focused on delivering value to their customers, primarily in the “helpful” customer service that they provide. That’s been their not-so-secret weapon. They have some of the most knowledgeable, friendly and helpful people on the planet working at their stores.

Customer frustrations and how to avoid them by Olga Kołodyńska

(LiveChat) We are all customers. And we all get angry with similar things, mostly with bad customer service. However, for some reason, we rarely draw any conclusion from it.

My Comment: This article points out more frustrations and mistakes that companies make in their customer service delivery. While we may have read or heard much of this before, my favorite part of the article is the third paragraph, which states: “Whenever you feel displeasure, disappointment or even anger using another company’s service ask yourself: could my customer feel the same while using my service?” Great question!

The Biggest Customer Service Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make As a SaaS Startup by Sujan Patel

(Forbes) In today’s highly competitive SaaS business environment, showing customers you care is vital. If you don’t do it, someone else will – and they’ll take your business with them. In the worst cases, you’ll have a customer who is upset enough to not only leave, but draw thousands of others away from you as well by airing their grievance on social media.

My Comment: Common sense would make you think that many of the mistakes mentioned in this article shouldn’t happen. But they do. Great reminders of the customer service mistakes to avoid.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to  www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

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Guest Blog: Are You A Customer Service Ace?

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Craig Harrison shares a quiz with us to test our customer service knowledge. Good luck and let us know how you score! – Shep Hyken

Test your customer service knowledge and learn how to be a service ace by picking the correct answer to each of these 10 questions.

1.  A complaining customer is:

Always right
Almost right
Often lying
Always the customer

2.  Customers who complain:

Had unhappy childhoods
Are genetically predisposed to be sourpusses
Have trouble in their primary relationships
Are doing you a service in identifying what isn’t working in your business or organization

3.  The best reward for your customer service representatives is:

Earplugs and punching bags
Valium or other mind-numbing drugs
Recognition and appreciation on your part
Anger management seminars

4.  CRM stands for:

Customers Rarely Matter
Can’t Remember Much
Communicating Random Meaning
Customers Rudimentarily Managed
Customer Relationship Management

5.  Customers who complain want . . .

Something for nothing
To be heard and have their experience validated
To vent for the sport of it
To be made majority shareholders in the company

6.  Customer Service departments:

Are the afterthought that cleans up messes other departments cause
Build customer loyalty
Are leaders in understanding customer behavior patterns and market research

7.  For a company to be considered service-oriented:

It must mention customer service in its mission statement
At least 18.3% of its employees must work in the customer service department
Its managers must at one time have been CSRs
Customer service must be addressed by all departments

8.  A Call Center is defined as:

The midpoint in duration of a telephone call
A revenue sink hole
A place where middle-of-the-road calls coexist with liberal and arch-conservative calls
A location where complaints and problems are converted into successful saves for your customers and your company

9.  Customer Care is:

A managed care medical program for customers
A nifty alliterative phrase that looks good in company brochures
A new program where customers care for themselves
A philosophy wherein the customer is wrapped in service even before a problem arises

10.  Customer Service Culture is

A new form of yogurt where the lid removes itself for you
Behavior being analyzed in a Petrie dish for contagions
A mythical civilization in which everyone smiles and welcomes you when they meet
An environment where customer service permeates the thinking of the entire company.

KEY

Customers are often wrong but they never stop being the customer. Right or wrong they are to be accorded respect and cared for. Focus on the insights their complaint offers.
Complaining customers alert you to systemic problems before they drive off more customers. Their complaints represent many more customers who may not spend the time to tell you about problems, instead just leaving you for your competitors.
Your staff deserves and thrive on recognition and appreciation. Take the time to celebrate them collectively and individually. Whether through cards, gifts, surprises, outings and acknowledgements at company functions, let them know how important, valued and appreciated they are to you and the company.
CRM refers to systems designed to track and cater to each customer’s whims and preferences over a lifetime. CRM is about managing customer relationships over the long haul by attending to their individual needs.
Complaining customers have several needs. Implicit in their actual complaint is also a need to be heard and their unhappiness acknowledged. Fixing the problem is important. So is letting them know you understand their displeasure and feel for them. One without the other is an incomplete remedy for customer complaints. Don’t forget the emotional component in complaints.
B and C. When you solve a problem for a customer you actually build confidence and allegiance. You’ve proven you stand behind your products or service, giving customers a warm and fuzzy feeling of safety and protection. As well, you tap the pulse of the customers. Their complaints and feedback give valuable insight into how well your products are assembled, documented, sold and hold up. Listening to customers tells you a great deal about your company’s products and services (and your competitors’ too) from real life customers. That’s invaluable!
A Customer Service orientation must transcend the service department. All departments must understand and model good customer service for the company to be considered strong in service. Many problems can be avoided outright by attending to customer service. Why should the customer service department carry the weight of service for the entire company? Don’t operate under the adage “never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over.” Get it right at the source, in all departments.
Make your call center is a shining example of your company’s commitment to its customers. Your center is a visible symbol of your company’s commitment to customer success.
Customer Care is a philosophy wherein customers are cared for by a company – the entire time they’re customers. Care isn’t just to be administered as a salve for problems. Demonstrate care from the start and your customers will flock to your products and services.
Customer Service Culture is the infusion of service ideals into every department, from sales, shipping and receiving to legal, human resources and beyond.

How did you do? If you scored 100% you can write Shep’s next guest article!

If you scored 80% or better you’re a service ace.

60-80% you understand customer service. Now deepen your knowledge!

If you scored below 60% don’t fret. Make improving your customer service orientation a priority. Ask others what it means to them, take a class, read Shep’s books and columns on service. Then you’ll be a Service Ace!

___________________________________________________________

Craig Harrison, the chief expressionist of Expressions Of Excellence, is “the voice of customer service” — a speaker, trainer and communication consultant who builds clear and confident communicators, and strong sales and service cultures. Contact him at (510) 547-0664 or through Craig@ExpressionsOfExcellence.com for help in improving your communication skills and customer service orientation. Visit his website at www.VoiceOfCustomerService.com for more resources.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com. Read Shep’s latest Forbes Article:

Regardless Of The Economy, Never Put Customer Service On The Chopping Block

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You Have More Responsibility than the Job You Were Hired to Do

Take Care of the Customer

Whether you realize it or not, everyone has at least two jobs or responsibilities at work. The first is to do the job that they were hired to do. The second is to take care of the customer. Simple concept, but let’s elaborate.

The Job They Were Hired to Do

This is pretty obvious. If you were hired to be a salesperson, you sell. If you were hired to be an executive assistant, you assist. You might be in the manufacturing plant or the IT department. When you are hired, you know the roll you play in your company.

Taking Care of the Customer

When someone applies for a job in sales, customer service, or any other customer-facing job, they understand that their responsibility is to take care of the customer. But, what about the people who have little or no contact? They may be in the finance department or the warehouse. It is just as important for them to recognize their role in this important responsibility. They may happen to answer the phone, or a call may be accidently routed to them. How they handle that customer interaction is important to maintaining consistency in the customer service and brand promise.

Any time your customers interact with anyone from your company they form an impression. At that moment, the opinion that the customer has of your company may rest on that employee’s shoulders. It doesn’t matter if that employee is on the front line and supposed to have contact with the customer or the employee is behind the scenes and just happens to get a call, the customer is not only going to form an opinion of the company, but potentially the other employees of the company as well.

A Third Responsibility

While this might not be as applicable to every company, it’s still worth consideration. I’ve been fortunate to have attended a number of the Disney Institute programs. They have been practicing this concept since the first theme park was built, but with something extra. Walt Disney used to say that everyone had three jobs. You already know the first two. The third was to keep the park clean. In other words, just as it is everyone’s job to take care of the customer or guest, it is also everyone’s job to pick up any trash or clean up a mess they might spot. Or, at least arrange to have it done.

The bottom line: Everyone must realize that they have more responsibility than just the job they were hired to do.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

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5 Top Customer Service Articles For the Week of February 9, 2015

TOP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BUSINESS ARTICLES

Each week I read a number of customer service articles from various online resources. Here are my top five picks from last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Philly Pizza Shop Goes Viral by Paying it Forward by Chris Malone

(Fidelum Partners) Mason Wartman set out to be a pizza-shop owner, not a philanthropist. But one customer’s spontaneous act of generosity inspired a change in the way Wartman does business.

My Comment: LOVE THIS! Want to know how a “Dollar a Slice” pizza restaurant can make a big difference in the community? Just read this story. Giving back and paying it forward should be built into a company’s culture. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are in, anyone and any company can positively impact the community and those in need.

Customer Experience is the New Battleground for Winning Customer Loyalty by Larisa Bedgood

(B2Community) In the age of the empowered customer, you need your customers more than they need you. Consumers have more options than ever before and access to more products on more channels. Creating loyal brand advocates is no longer a matter of competing on price or product features. More so than ever before, customer experience is the new currency driving loyalty in 2015.

My Comment: This article is filled with great ideas and tips, but the most important part of the article are the stats and facts that make the case for why it’s important for any company to meet and exceed a customer’s expectations of customer service. Great information with proof!

The Ultimate List of Net Promoter® Best Practice Tips by Adam Ramshaw

(Genroe) Note that these tips pretty much apply to any Voice of the Customer or Customer feedback (but not market research) process. So regardless of whether you are using Customer Effort Score, Customer Satisfaction or NPS® you can apply them to your business.

My Comment: If you have ever been thinking about using the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a way to measure your organization’s customer service and customer experience, you are going to love this article. And, if you already use NPS, you will also love this article. There are dozens of ideas and best practices here. A wealth of information.

5 Word of mouth marketing tips to get customers buzzing by Jason Dea

(Forewards) Are you struggling to find a way to give your online business or ecommerce store marketing a kick in the ol’ booty? Here’s an idea, why not put some extra focus on your word of mouth marketing efforts.

My Comment: There is no doubt that word-of-mouth marketing is one of (if not the most) powerful ways to build a brand. It’s good to see that delivering amazing customer service is at the top. If you don’t get that right, the chances of the other tips working greatly diminish.

2015 Customer Community & CRM Predictions from Analysts and Influencers by Patrick Groome

(Vanilla Forums) We’ve saved you sometime by sifting through the chaff to present you with the most interesting and useful predictions from industry analysts about customer community, customer engagement and CRM.

My Comment: Wondering what trends are in store for customer experience? Then you’re going to love this article. Some CS and CX experts share insights into what we can expect for the rest of this year (and beyond).

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to  www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

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Guest Blog: How Internal Customer Service Can Strengthen Your Business

This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post, my colleague Alison Brattle writes about how important internal customer service is to the culture of an organization. I have always believed that what’s happening on the inside of  a company is felt on the outside by customers.  – Shep Hyken

Companies looking at increasing revenue will usually seek to differentiate themselves from competitors by offering top quality service to external customers. However, companies should be equally aware of the need to provide the same high standard of service to employees (or ‘internal customers’). When staff members feel valued, listened to and respected, their sense of satisfaction has a direct effect on the service they provide. Moreover, internal customer service needs to be provided to all employees, not just those who usually deal directly with the public. This is because there are many cases in which a customer may have to deal with someone from support (e.g. to ask about the state of a payment) and when these employees are displeased with the treatment they are receiving, it can be very difficult to provide clients with the service they deserve and demand. With research indicating that customers are increasingly less patient about receiving poor service, companies need to realise that just one bad phone call, one doubt left unanswered or one unsatisfactory piece of information, can result in a lost client. As McDermott and Emerson note, “Consumers are becoming much less tolerant of poor quality and service. They are likely to ignore brand or company loyalty and switch their purchasing power to companies and products that provide hassle-free, above-average value and service.”

Understanding the Value of Internal Customer Service

Despite the fact that companies are consistently providing more training to their employees, polls indicate that the level of service is declining. Unless companies strive to create a culture that values individual and team accountability for delivering the very best external and internal customer service, the result will be a significant drop in revenue.

Creating an Internal Customer Service Culture

Creating a quality internal customer service culture is a complex task that will not happen overnight. Companies should take the following steps for a smooth transition:

Leadership training: Management should understand the value of internal customer service, and be able to communicate its importance to the rest of the staff. Leaders should be trained in the nature of internal customer service and the necessary means to achieve it.
Making necessary changes in systems and processes: Achieve Global notes that often, the greatest source of staff frustration and anger are faulty systems (these may include software, hardware and internal procedures). These systems may waste time and cause error, leading to a loss of efficiency. Companies need to identify weaknesses and make necessary changes to enjoy smoother, more efficient processes that save time and frustration.
Staff training: While those who do not deal directly with customers may wonder if they really need customer service training, the truth is that often, these are the members of staff who most need it. This is because, on the odd occasion, they are called upon to provide external service and they should be well aware of standards to uphold and pitfalls to avoid. Customer service courses should focus on teaching employees the characteristics of good service (efficiency, attentiveness, speed, resourcefulness, etc.).
Internal service guarantees: Different departments can enter into a formal agreement to provide top quality service, with a pre-agreed penalty in place for non-compliance. This encourages feedback and communication among staff members. Achieve Global makes an interesting point: guarantees foster an ambience of creativity and get people in to the habit of collective problem solving.
Analysis of internal customer service loyalty systems: Management should measure the efficiency of any internal customer service programme adopted, to ensure it has the desired effect on external customer loyalty.

Alison Brattle is a Marketing Manager at AchieveGlobal, a global customer service and sales training firm based in the UK. It specialises in providing exceptional customer service courses and helps organisations develop business strategies to achieve sales success. Alison enjoys sharing her insight and thoughts to provide better sales and leadership training. You can follow Alison on Linkedin.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com

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The Most Abused Customer is the Sold Customer

Customer Service Strategy

Years ago, when I was just starting to speak and consult on customer service, my friend Dr. Larry Baker shared this concept with me. Now the word abused may be a bit strong, but his point was well taken. For some customers, the pre-purchase experience is better than the post-purchase experience.

My belief is that the customer service starts and the experience begins the moment the customer just thinks about doing business with you. Customer service isn’t something that happens after the sale, it is also how the customer is treated leading up to the sale. And once it starts, it continues through the entire life of the relationship you have with that customer, which hopefully is for a very long time.

Recently I had the pleasure of experiencing Joey Coleman present a speech on the First 100 Days. This refers to the first 100 days after a customer pays for whatever you sell. Once the customer buys from you, until the customer gets or uses the product or service you sell, is the time the buyer may have second thoughts, or worse get buyer’s remorse. This is where the customer may potentially feel abused or neglected.

For example, you buy something on a website and it takes several days or longer before your order arrives. Or, you sign a contract to build a home, yet it may be months before any construction begins, let alone actually moving into the home. Or after months of consideration, you sign an agreement with a consultant, but the project doesn’t begin for 30 days.

Coleman’s idea is that the best opportunity for a loyal customer comes in that first 100 days. His entire presentation was about managing just those 100 days. Of course, you need to manage the long term experience, but those first 100 days are where you have your best opportunity to earn loyalty.

In the customer journey map there are many touch points. These are the places where customers interact with your employees. The idea of managing the 100 days is to create additional touch points, which further enhance the experience. This is proactive customer service.

Let’s use a hotel as an example. Typically, you make a reservation, receive the confirmation, show up, go about your business, and check out. If the stay is pleasant and the hotel staff takes care of you, you’ll probably come back. However, there may be a way of enhancing the guest experience that creates a stronger bond and raises the likelihood the guest will come back. Imagine this scenario:

You may make your reservation a month, or even longer, ahead of your stay. Within moments of making the reservation, you receive an email that confirms the details. That’s expected and a good start.

Then, just a two days later, someone from the hotel calls you to ask you if you have any special preferences, allergies, or anything else that the hotel may want to know to enhance your experience with them.

Two weeks from the date of your arrival you get another call from the hotel. This time it is the concierge calling to ask if you need any restaurant reservations or have any other needs he or she can help with.

Finally, you arrive and check in. You are warmly greeted. Your requests and needs have been taken care of, and just a few minutes after you are in the room the person who checked you in calls to make sure you’re happy with your room.

Two days after your stay you get a call from a hotel staffer thanking you and asking for feedback.

You get the idea. This type of customer service and experience strategy will work with any type of business. Take your already great customer service up a level by adding intentional and additional interactions that confirm in your customer’s mind that he or she made the right decision to do business with you.

Shep Hyken is a customer service expert, professional speaker and New York Times bestselling business author. For information contact (314)692-2200 or  www.hyken.com . For information on The Customer Focus™ customer service training programs go to  http://www.thecustomerfocus.com . Follow on Twitter:  @Hyken

(Copyright © MMXV, Shep Hyken)

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