Are You in Service?

If you take stock of your employees, how many of them are in customer service? What percentage[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

of your company is dedicated to service? One common theme you will hear from an executive of any company known for its excellence in customer service is that every member of the organization is an integral part of their service team and philosophy. Why? Because no matter how charming and compassionate your dedicated customer service representatives are, to build a brand based on a reputation of service requires that every point of contact a customer has with your company oozes that same level of excellence.

Have you ever had an initial interaction with a company where you’ve given a detailed account of what it is you need, only to be asked some probing questions “to help better understand your needs”? Have those clarifying questions ever resulted in being offered to buy something that is far outside the criteria of what you had communicated? How did that make you feel as the customer? How did it shape your perception of the business? What assumptions did you form about that company’s willingness or ability to help you with a problem, should one arise, down the road? If you’re like most customers, that interaction left you feeling ignored, unimportant, like a sales prospect instead of a valued customer. And you likely assumed that the company’s post-purchase care of you as the customer would be similarly dismissive.

In order to become a shining example of customer service, we need to cultivate an attitude of service within each and every employee. Every customer interaction is important because each and every one works to form a customer’s opinion of our companies, and depending on the nature of each business, this may mean that the opportunities to solidify a positive perception and relatively few. Conversely, one less than stellar interaction commands a large percentage of that customer’s attention.

To put this point into context, think of a customer arriving at a big hotel. Between pulling up to the hotel and walking into a room, a guest has only perhaps three interactions or opportunities to form an opinion about the hotel’s dedication to service: the doorman, the front desk staff, and the bellman. If any one of these people were to not focus on providing an excellent customer experience of service, the guest would have one third of their interactions clouded by that fact.

In our own companies, our customers may have even fewer opportunities to form their opinions of our levels of service, so it is absolutely critical that every single person in the company makes it his or her mission to be in service.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]