Customer service
In our daily dealings with banks, stores and restaurants, we often feel like service, and even common courtesy, has fallen by the wayside. If for, example, your insurance company really understood the importance of giving personal service, why would it install a voice mail system that dose not give you the option of speaking with a real live person? Or if your local post office realized that it is competing for your business would the staff be allowed to go on lunch at the same time you do everyday? Sooner than later we hang up or walk out scratching our heads and wondering what happened to good customer service?
Is it impossible to be profitable and keep customers happy? Do people have to take second place to technology? As we are forced to do more with less, will service be inevitably sacrificed? I think not. In fact, survey after survey confirms that the companies and intervals whom we like to deal with the ones who win our business over and over again are the ones who understand and act upon the three basic elements that form the rock solid foundation of excellent service, expanding your definition of service, reconsidering who your customers are and developing a customer friendly attitude. Beware looks are deceiving these element are not necessarily easy to do (If they were then everyone would be doing them). The difference between knowing them and living them takes commitment and practice. (Levesque)
Expanding your definition of service is the first step. Your definition of customer service shapes every interaction you have with your customers. If you hold the common idea that customer service is only giving customers what they want you may as well paint yourself into a corner every time a customer ask you for something that is impossible for you to provide. On the other hand if you expand your idea of service to include fulfilling the multitude of less obvious customer needs you will never encounter a time when you can’t...