In my experience, there are three customer-centric things where you can make a real difference:
- Create a total service experience
- Provide service with passion
- Deal with challenging customers
In an increasingly competitive world good service is a prerequisite, not a ‘nice to have’.
Making the difference
Competitors may supply the same products at similar prices, copy your marketing ideas or even ‘steal’ your promotional offers; and all with the same baseline service. What they cannot do though is do is emulate your personal touch.
In short, YOU become the key differentiatorbecause only you can consistently exceed customers’ expectations, and if you do this, you’re onto a winner.
Start by establishing the highest level of expectation and make this your benchmark. Then put yourself in the position of the customer and ask yourself what they want or need in order to have an easier life and a more successful business.
- I’d want you to listen; this enquiry is important to me, and I need to be confident that you understand what I need
- Then I need you to take responsibility and find me a solution – you are the expert!
- Thirdly, remember the details – don’t let me down because you only remember 95% of what I’ve said
- Finally, remember I’m spending my money, and you’re working for me, not doing me a favour
Service with a passion
Providing a total service experience means taking an interest, listening to the customer and going that extra mile. This becomes your baseline – and lays the foundation for your relationship with all your customers. But to be the ‘go to supplier’, the first port of call, you need to do more. You need to provide service with a passion. Customers respond to body language, tone of voice and attitude. If you proffer negativity, you will get it back in spades, so a ‘cup half-full’ attitude is so much more productive.
Cry, and you cry alone; laugh, and the world laughs with you
As we look to grow the business, we are developing relationships with customers. A positive and inclusive attitude is critical – we all like to feel wanted, valued, loved and understood.
- If you are meeting 1-2-1, then use positive body language and listen to the customer
- If you are on the phone, then regularly interject and show interest
- Don’t allow the customer to monologue – ask questions
- Reiterate what the customer tells you. It shows you have been listening and you are engaged
Providing good service eventually becomes second nature, and, in my experience, customer expectations are generally lower than you would expect, so the net result is ‘customer positive’.
Creating a competitive advantage requires you to set your standards with a total service experience delivered positively and with passion.
Steps to dealing with challenging customers
The way you deal with ‘challenging customers’ can have a major effect on your business. Whether they’re emotional, frustrated, unreasonable or irrational, you need to handle your customers professionally. In other words, don’t become emotive or protective, but rather create a process to deal with their issues.
Also, stay calm as confrontation is a loser, meaning you should allow the customer to vent. Listen; don’t interrupt; wait for a pause; be supportive and acknowledge their anger. This should take the form of repeating their position (it shows empathy) using the word ‘hear’ – “I hear that you…”
Identify the ‘real’ problem; be positive in communicating with the customer. In short, ‘I will’ rather than ‘I don’t know’; ‘I can’ rather than ‘I can’t’; ‘I understand’ rather than ’you should have…’ Be firm but fair – don’t allow them to be abusive.
Buy time and respect; show the customer that you are taking the problem seriously. Tell them you will investigate thoroughly/escalate and then give them a time/date when you expect to get back to them.
Delivering exceptional service requires a total service ethos delivered with passion, but within a structure that allows you to handle difficult customers with professionalism.
If you keep these three factors front of mind, you’ll find that good customers become repeat customers. You might even convert challenging customers to valued customers.
