Their common theme is meeting the customer's requirements and ensuring that all aspects of the business contribute to customer satisfaction. The intention is to build repeat business. If customers are satisfied with the product and the standards of service they receive, they will return again and again.

Inconsistent Customer Care

Inconsistent customer care performance can have a negative effect on customer perceptions. Gas stations, for example, know that every time a customer walks into one of their outlets, wherever they are in the country, they should expect to receive the same standards of service. Nationwide consistency is essential when customers are likely to visit multiple outlets -- one poor performance can threaten the customer's perception of the entire operation.

What Is Customer Care?

Customer care is about addressing three sets of requirements: the customer, your staff, and the overall organization.

These requirements are inter-related, i.e., it is more difficult to deliver consistently high standards in customer care if the needs of both the organization and the staff are not taken into account.

Customer Care Requirements

Your customer requires a few basic elements to feel satisfied and motivated to return. These include:

• Excellent personal service -- the customer feels valued, listened to, treated as an individual

• Your products have to meet basic expectations

• Customers need encouragement to express their views and give feedback

• Clients require an effective relationship with the overall organization

• Problems and complaints must be handled effectively

Staff Requirements

To keep customers happy, you have to have an energized, motivated staff that is onboard with your company's overall customer service philosophy. Your staff needs:

• Supervisors with effective management style

• Suitable working environment -- including pay and conditions, and the right tools for the job

• Relevant training to develop skills

• Career potential -- no one wants to feel they are in a dead-end position

• Clarity of role/job description

• Performance standards and appraisal systems

• Sense of involvement/value

• Open communication

• Teamwork

• Rewards and recognition for a job well done

Organizational Requirements

Organizations with a successful customer-care policy have the following:

• Mission statement

• Corporate structure

• Feedback and communication systems

• Profit

• Human and technical resources

• Demonstrated commitment

Who Are Your Customers?

If you are not serving the customer, you should be serving someone who is. Harmonious relationships with customers and colleagues are essential to service success, because providing outstanding customer service is primarily a team effort. For excellent customer service to exist, it has to be practiced on an internal basis. (continued...)

1  |  2  |  Next Page >