Customer Service - How to achieve Customer Service Excellence - By: Kate Tammemagi

Customers are the judges of any organisation, of their products and of their service. Customers let us know their feelings not with Customer satisfaction ratings, but with their feet or their buying power. They judge the Company based on the experience they have of you, your products and your service. All of these are important, but the most powerful influencer is the experience Customers have of your people.

For example, they may evaluate the quality of the product, or its value for money. But they will also notice the car park and the ease of access, or the cleanliness of your display area. They will certainly notice the responsiveness of your staff, their courtesy and helpfulness. They will even judge your Company on the way your staff talk to each other, and relate to your Manager. It all counts!

Defining Customer Service Excellence

Customer Service Excellence can be defined as a positive experience plus an extra 10, that extra positive experience for their Customers. They will use tools, like mapping the Customer's Journey through the Company, to generate ideas at each contact point - always seeking the opportunity to make life easier or more pleasant for the Customer. Quality and process improvement is top of their agenda, and they give quick recognition to employees who demonstrate valuable improvements.

Customer Service Training - Small Investment with Big Pay-off

Companies often assume that investment in Customer Service Skills Training is a waste of money! It is unfortunate that these Companies do not ask their former Customers for their view! Everyone can give examples of 'bad' Customer experiences that would amaze the Company Leadership. Effective delivery of Customer Service Excellence will keep Customers, and generate profits - and Training plays a key part in achieving this.

Customer Service Excellence is about processes, knowledge and behaviours. Good Customer Service Training should address each of these 3 elements, whether this is internal or external training.

Above all, training adjusts the priorities and aligns the focus of all personnel, whether Customer Service, Sales, Administration or Managers. It helps all to have a pinpoint clear focus on what they want to achieve with each Customer. They align to their shared purpose of keeping Customers coming back, and they learn the importance of their role in ensuring Company success.

Focus drives attitude and behaviours throughout the Organisation. Managers will be much more aware of desired attitudes and behaviours, and therefore will be much more likely to praise them. The Customer Care Teams will heighten their awareness to core skills and techniques with their Customers, as well as positive actions that will deliver Customer Service Excellence. Interest, support and encouragement from management will motivate them to want to perform well with their Customers. Everyone in the organisation will be singing off the same page.

Continuous Improvement and Best Practice

Customer Service Excellence is about managing, meeting and exceeding expectations. Customer Expectations are constantly changing, the bar is forever being raised. This means that Teams at all levels in the Company must respond to this by continuously seeking to identify opportunities to 'exceed'.

Teamwork sessions held quarterly to brainstorm and generate improvement ideas are essential to achieving excellence. The Customer Care Teams themselves should be encouraged and empowered to continuously seek out Best Practice, to review and improve.

Achieving Customer Service Excellence is a continuous process that should be energetically pursued by all in the Organisation.

About the Author

Kate Tammemagi is Customer Service Trainer and Consultant in Ireland. She designs and delivers customized Customer Service Courses and Customer Care Training.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Kate-Tammemagi/57937

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