Weekly Roundup in Customer Service
February 23, 2015
“Make building a relationship with each customer a priority — and you will create a positive ripple effect that will spread out into the world through what your customers tell others about you.” — Jess Van Den
In this week’s customer service roundup, I found and got some great insight for companies who are starting to become customer-centric, are focusing on repeat business, are looking to take their customer service to the next level, and would like to learn the customer service warning signs.
Teamwork makes the dream work. Good businesses solve problems and they hire problem solvers. As a new hire, there is no better way to understand the customer’s problem(s) than by doing customer support. Many companies today are moving toward a customer-centric approach, and that means that all new hires (designers, engineers, managers) get the privilege of handling customer support during their first few weeks or months on the job. Automattic is one of the companies taking this approach, which Mel Choyce, a designer, discusses in her article Why Every New Employee Should Do Customer Support. She found that interacting with the customers one-on-one and doing support tickets helped her to understand the company fully and the services they provided. She also talks about how it instilled a greater sense of responsibility in her, which undoubtedly has poured over into and enhanced her design career at Automattic. The first few weeks for a new hire is when their opinion of your company and community are shaped. There is no better time to instill in them the customer-centric approach your company has chosen to take, and there is no better teacher than hands-on customer support.
Taking care of your customers. The process of acquiring new customers is usually priority for companies and individuals, but it’s important to also focus on customer retention and repeat business. In her article, Creating Happy Customers (and nailing the art of repeat business), Jess Van Den describes the importance of treating customers with respect and dignity, as it not only causes them to return, but to also spread the word about your company/products to their friends. She warns against allowing ego or personal issues to affect your business and work life, stating that when we do so, “…in that moment we may make a mistake that loses us a customer forever.”
A swan on the water. In his article, 5-Star Customer Service Should Hurt a Little, Norm Merritt explores three ways in which “exemplary” customer service can be attained and should be continued throughout the course of your company’s journey. One of the tips, in particular, stood out to me stating that the customer service experience should appear as “a swan on the water” — which means that the customer should appear happy and calm, and the company (and its employees) should be working hard beneath the service to ensure everything is as close to perfect as possible! Oftentimes, customers do not see the behind-the-scenes action that may go into resolving a small issue. There may have been problems with the design, resolving a technical matter, restructuring a policy, but the customer does not need to know or see the huge effort behind it; they simply need to reap the benefits of your hard work, which will result in a wonderful experience for them, and more business for you!
Keep working at it. While it may be easier to “stick with what we know”, Amanda Stillwagon talks about the continual learning process of customer service in 10 Warning Signs of Customer Service Issues in Your Company. Keeping your eyes and ears open for any of the warning signs will help you to notice any red flags your customers may be waving right in front of you. She discusses the importance of putting quality over speed and making sure that issues are resolved to the best of your ability, rather than too quickly (and potentially overlooking items); receiving feedback from your customers, whether it’s by surveys, forums or another medium; and also ensuring your employees are happy, as they are the front line of your arsenal — and if they aren’t happy, it will show and manifest into “poor service” for your customers.
Check out last week’s roundup:
Here are a few more great articles I’ve also found:
Here are some more articles I’ve written about customer support:
