Customer Service Policy Geared For Excellence

One unhappy customer can tell the world about inferior service while very few happy customers tell a single person. Having a rock solid customer service policy can help you deal with all aspects of your customer's requests. This policy should cover basic areas of a customer service program, which will help you to develop a positive relationship with all of your customers.

Keywords:

business, marketing, customer service, satisfaction, personal level, return policy, hours of operation, guarantee, warranty, value

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One unhappy customer will tell the world about inferior service while a happy customer rarely tells a soul. Your challenge as a business owner is to create a buzz so positive about your products and services that your clients and customers will become your raving fans and will tell the world about you!
Your lesson for today is to put pen to paper and write a rock solid customer service policy for your business. This policy should state explicitly how you will treat your customers at each and every turn. By answering the following questions, you will have covered the basics of your customer service program.
Are you ready?

1. Who is your customer, and what are you doing to get to know him or her on a personal level?
Examples: Customer profile cards
One employee assigned to following the wins and wows of your customers
A bulletin board celebrating the events in the lives of your customers
2. What is your return policy, and how are customers treated when they return an item?
Use the same courtesy you used when a customer purchased an item.
3. What is your policy for returning phone calls and eMails?
Customers generally want a response within 24 hours, and this policy should be stated and posted.
4. How does everyone in your company answer the telephone?
People want a cheerful voice on your end of the telephone. They also do not want a busy signal when they call.
5. What is your policy for dealing with customers during a wait?
People love special treatment. Use this time to roll out the red carpet by offering a cup of coffee, a soda, or a glass of sparkling water.
6. What is your policy for training staff on how to serve your customers?
Spend one hour, two times per month, educating your staff on how to treat your customers. This treatment could make or break your relationship with your customers.
7. What is your policy for dealing with vendors and their products?
Your vendors are a part of your company, and the quality and care, which you request from them for your customers, should be exceptional. Remember...if your vendors are not providing you with outstanding customer service, your clients/customers will suffer.
8. If you offer a guarantee or warranty, are you honoring this?
If your customer knows that your product or service is guaranteed but there are too many loopholes that make this null and void, you will lose trust with your buyers.
9. Who is your benchmark?
Benchmarking is the continuous process of measuring products, services, and business practices of your company against the toughest and best competition in your industry. Your benchmark can be anyone and does not have to be restricted to your local region. What is the best company in your field doing that you are not doing or that you can do better?
10. What is your policy for dealing with customer complaints?
People do not want excuses from you regarding poor service. They want help, and they want words that are empathetic such as "I can tell you are disappointed. I am so very sorry. Let me see if I can help you out of this jam." If a customer thinks there is a problem, there is a problem. A customer is always right even when he or she is wrong.
11. What is your shipping policy (if you ship products).
People want quick delivery, and they want their product delivered in impeccable condition. Work this out on paper and be prepared to tell a customer with confidence that he or she will receive the product quickly and in great shape!
12. How do you keep a client updated when an item is on backorder?
Keep the lines of communication open by sending frequent updates on the status of a customer's wait.
13. What are your hours of operation?
This seems simple, but it is very important. People want to know when you are open and when you are closed. Post these on your website and add them to your voice mail greeting.
14. What are the 20 ways that you add value to your customers?
Do you offer private sales? Do you offer discounts to current customers? Do you invite your customers in to sample new products and services before the general public gets a peek? Do your best to come up with at least 20 ways that you add value to your services, and deliver those with a wonderful attitude? Do you offer a kid's corner, Valet parking, a Concierge service, or something that makes your customers go WOW? Think creatively on this question, and come up with at least 20 ways you add value to the life of your buyers. This could be something as simple as special soap in the restrooms or the most current selection of magazines in your waiting area.
15. How often do you use customer satisfaction surveys to improve your business?
Surveys are a great way to find out what is on the minds of your customers. On Day 76, we will be asking you to develop a customer survey, so begin thinking about what it is that you want to know that will improve the effectiveness of your company.
© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Creating a New Standard of Excellence – Six Things You Can Do

Below are six steps that you can take to continue to raise your own standards of excellence. These steps will make it easier than ever to stand out, be noticed, and have greater levels of success and satisfaction.

Keywords:

excellence, standards, expectations, exceeding expectations, success

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Recognizing that the time had come to replace our hot water heater, my wife called our plumber to schedule an appointment. She placed the call at about 11 a.m. When the agent asked, “Would you be available between one and three?” Lori asked, “Which day?” The agent replied “Today of course.”

Hearing a strange noise coming from our furnace, another call was placed. Again, the appointment was made and the problem was solved the same day. (Are you surprised that the furnace and the plumbing company have the same ownership?)

Earlier this week my wife had a problem with her knee and after seeing our family doctor she was referred to a knee specialist - a specialist considered one of the best in Indianapolis. When she called for an appointment, I feared the worst. Instead, she had an appointment within 24 hours.

My guess is that as you read each of these short stories. You are surprised at the service we received. The fact is, this level of service should be the norm, but sadly isn't. Our experience has lowered the expectations of most of us.

The Good News

The good news in these examples is that it is easier than ever to stand out. When you are good, people will notice. When you are excellent, they will rave.

This goes for us personally, professionally, or as an organization.

Below are six steps that you can take to continue to raise your own standards of excellence. These steps will make it easier than ever to stand out, be noticed, and have greater levels of success and satisfaction.

What You Can Do

1. Get a current check on performance. Talk to those you served, whether your family, coworkers or Customers. Find out from them, how well you are doing in meeting their expectations. Listen to their feedback. Don't justify your current performance or blame others. Simply listen.

2. Determine the standard they want. Again, ask your Customers or those you serve for their input. Listen to their needs, wants and hopes.

3. Determine the standard you want. Remember that their expectations may not be very high based on their experience. Take their feedback and ideas into account, but remember that it is your responsibility to set the level of excellence you want to reach. Set the bar is high as you wish.

4. Under promise and over deliver. Taking the first three steps will heighten awareness and likely raise expectations immediately. As you work to grow your standards remember that you can reach your goal is small steps. Make promises based on your current capacity, not your fondest wish. Make the promise, then deliver more, then raise the level of your promise a bit the next time. Steady and slow wins the race – and remember it won’t take long to leave those you are racing with far behind. This approach will help you raise your standards, and the trust others have I you too.

5. Ask “what's not excellent?” This question will help you continue to find ways to improve your standards and delivery. Ask this question of yourself, of your teammates, and of other interested parties.

6. Measure performance. You've set new standards for yourself. The only way to reach them and maintain them is to measure your performance against those standards. Depending on the standards you are setting this may be very simple or quite complex. Don't make the measurement more difficult than necessary, but remember to measure.

It is clear that these steps have obvious application for serving Customers better. While I encourage you to consider their applications to customer service, I also hope you will consider using them in other areas on your life.

It's time to raise the bar. It's time to set new standards. Standards won’t raise themselves; we must raise them consciously and consistently. The steps above will help you take that conscious action.