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Digg it UP - Edge Out the Competition: The 7 Keys to Service Excellence
Is it just me or is business getting tougher? Look around gas prices are rising and all the manufacturing jobs are going elsewhere? What should we do? The only thing certain about our economy today, is that it will look different tomorrow. How computers changed the economies of the 80's and 90's, today we deal with cheap foreign labor.The North American economy used to have an advantage in that we were well educated and technologically advanced. This allowed us to charge more, produce quicker and raise our standard of living. Margins were high which allowed more disposable income, grew our middle class and led us to more millionaires than ever before. While this had it's positives, it also had it's negatives.We have become complacent in our jobs and standards of living. This left a great opportunity to those who could use a cheap labor force to under cut the pricing on our products. This coupled with lifting trade barriers and duties has led to the tremendous growth of imports. Slashing prices a
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consu
Used primarily in the beginning as a traffic-monitoring device, remote security cameras are becoming the weapon of choice in the war against terrorism and crime around the world. A trained technician can sit in a control booth and monitor cameras placed in many locations around the city and using his remote equipment, he can pan and tilt, turning the cameras at will to view an even larger area than would be possible with stationary security cameras.The latest spy programs on TV use these cameras to monitor good guys and bad guys having clandestine meetings in downtown areas. They can pan and follow two people who are walking and talking and when they’ve reached the outermost edges of the camera’s field of vision, they merely switch to the next camera and pan and tilt all over again.While it seems far-fetched and makes for interesting entertainment, these cameras do exist and can be used precisely for that purpose.The uses these remote security cameras serve is two-fold. In the aftermath o
Successful companies do what others have failed to do in this discipline we call business! They take advantage of the most dynamic opportunity open to the business owner or decision maker. They vow to become the best customer service provider in his or her industry. They realize that customer service not only drives customer sales; but also drives repeat consumerism and ultimately bottom line profitability.
Are you passing up this critical opportunity because you have no strategic customer service focus, vision or mission? Is your customer service strategy being utilized to enhance your competitive edge? Or is your current strategy laying a foundation for ultimate failure in your industry?
At one time, “good” customer service was the sign of a “good” customer service provider. But, in today’s fast paced, high tech, fast paced business environment, “good” just isn’t good enough anymore. The average customer will only give you one chance to disappoint them before they hand their hard earned income over to your closest competitor. Today’s consumer expects appreciation for choosing you as the winner of their valuable dollars. There are many competitors out there competing for their money. Your goal is to assure that they not only chose you; but consistently come back to you to build a strong foundation to your business!
The Production Era axiom of “build a better mousetrap, catch the bigger mouse” is no longer the standard by which a business can measure its success in the consumer market. Successful business mandates that those who consume a product or service be fully satisfied with their purchase, which means they must be satisfied with the emotional satisfaction associated with the purchase.
It is crucial that decision makers understand the psychology of today’s consumer. They want to feel that their patronage is of critical importance and that when they spend their dollars on your product or service, they have made a wise investment of their hard earned funds. The wise business owner understands that at the core of a consumer’s psychological needs associated with the consumption of the product or service is the interaction and impression the consumer gets from your company’s first line of defense – the customer service provider.
True Customer Service is not just a response to customer dissatisfaction as one broad definition has implied. True customer services is a very proactive, well developed, organized program of ensuring that your product or service is the very best that your target consumer can expect. The elements of a good Customer Service Program are responsiveness, convenience, quality, competence, gratification, sincerity, and integrity. These are the Seven Standards of Service Excellence! If these standards are absent from your customer service program, your bottom line will suffer. It is, therefore, crucial to your success, that your front line customer service personnel are well versed in and understand the impact of these standards of service excellence.
THE 7 STANDARDS DEFINED:
Responsiveness is the prompt attention to consumer problems, concerns, and issues. Answering the telephone quickly; being understanding and empathetic; listening, listening, and listening some more. Most customers just want someone to listen and understand. Insure that you have policies and people in place who truly care for and take care of customer concerns. After all, without the customer, you would be a non-entity.
Convenience is assuring the product is assessable when the customer wants it. The enormous success of the corner convenient store is affirmation that consumers will pay a bit more for the convenience of not having to go out of his or her way. The more work customers have to do to access your product or service, the less profits you will see and the more likely that the competitor who aptly plans for effective ‘placement’ in their marketing strategy will get those crucial consumer dollars.
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consum
Branding is a big buzzword in corporate marketing. Creating a distinct identity for your company in the marketplace is about more than getting the word out about your products or services. At its best, branding includes getting consumers to feel good about who you are as a company.One way big-name corporations seek to garner consumer goodwill is by linking their brand to a philanthropic cause. Consider these companies: Home Depot promotes volunteerism and supports community projects such as refurbishing playgrounds and community centers Wal-Mart supports numerous community programs, from literacy councils to youth causes. Wal-Mart has a core value of giving back to the community Lee Jeans promotes Lee National Denim Day, which is the largest single-day fundraiser for breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment ConAgra Foods has embraced the cause of combating child hunger. They have started after-school caf?s which serve hot meals to kids who don’t have th
At one time, “good” customer service was the sign of a “good” customer service provider. But, in today’s fast paced, high tech, fast paced business environment, “good” just isn’t good enough anymore. The average customer will only give you one chance to disappoint them before they hand their hard earned income over to your closest competitor. Today’s consumer expects appreciation for choosing you as the winner of their valuable dollars. There are many competitors out there competing for their money. Your goal is to assure that they not only chose you; but consistently come back to you to build a strong foundation to your business!
The Production Era axiom of “build a better mousetrap, catch the bigger mouse” is no longer the standard by which a business can measure its success in the consumer market. Successful business mandates that those who consume a product or service be fully satisfied with their purchase, which means they must be satisfied with the emotional satisfaction associated with the purchase.
It is crucial that decision makers understand the psychology of today’s consumer. They want to feel that their patronage is of critical importance and that when they spend their dollars on your product or service, they have made a wise investment of their hard earned funds. The wise business owner understands that at the core of a consumer’s psychological needs associated with the consumption of the product or service is the interaction and impression the consumer gets from your company’s first line of defense – the customer service provider.
True Customer Service is not just a response to customer dissatisfaction as one broad definition has implied. True customer services is a very proactive, well developed, organized program of ensuring that your product or service is the very best that your target consumer can expect. The elements of a good Customer Service Program are responsiveness, convenience, quality, competence, gratification, sincerity, and integrity. These are the Seven Standards of Service Excellence! If these standards are absent from your customer service program, your bottom line will suffer. It is, therefore, crucial to your success, that your front line customer service personnel are well versed in and understand the impact of these standards of service excellence.
THE 7 STANDARDS DEFINED:
Responsiveness is the prompt attention to consumer problems, concerns, and issues. Answering the telephone quickly; being understanding and empathetic; listening, listening, and listening some more. Most customers just want someone to listen and understand. Insure that you have policies and people in place who truly care for and take care of customer concerns. After all, without the customer, you would be a non-entity.
Convenience is assuring the product is assessable when the customer wants it. The enormous success of the corner convenient store is affirmation that consumers will pay a bit more for the convenience of not having to go out of his or her way. The more work customers have to do to access your product or service, the less profits you will see and the more likely that the competitor who aptly plans for effective ‘placement’ in their marketing strategy will get those crucial consumer dollars.
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consu
Return to your advertisement investment. Outdoor advertisement is one of the channel that can bring sure return to your advertisement investment. Here we will discuss about the Exhibition Display System and Flag Poles, which can be place inside or outside the premises and can be use at the Exhibition or places where potential clients walk through.Exhibition guaranteed to attract customers. The display systems are a breakthrough in convenience In the modern era it is difficult to find an advertising channel that can bring maximum Display System.Exhibition Display Systems, including Panel Displays and Display Boards are high and the natural exotic finish presents a colorful, appealing and convenient outlook that is class and flexibility. There are several such panels, one of them being a lightweight, stackable panel that is easy to set up and is constructed from strong extruded aluminum frames and durable KT panels. The frames have 360-degree hinges that allow for straight, curved, corner or zigza
It is crucial that decision makers understand the psychology of today’s consumer. They want to feel that their patronage is of critical importance and that when they spend their dollars on your product or service, they have made a wise investment of their hard earned funds. The wise business owner understands that at the core of a consumer’s psychological needs associated with the consumption of the product or service is the interaction and impression the consumer gets from your company’s first line of defense – the customer service provider.
True Customer Service is not just a response to customer dissatisfaction as one broad definition has implied. True customer services is a very proactive, well developed, organized program of ensuring that your product or service is the very best that your target consumer can expect. The elements of a good Customer Service Program are responsiveness, convenience, quality, competence, gratification, sincerity, and integrity. These are the Seven Standards of Service Excellence! If these standards are absent from your customer service program, your bottom line will suffer. It is, therefore, crucial to your success, that your front line customer service personnel are well versed in and understand the impact of these standards of service excellence.
THE 7 STANDARDS DEFINED:
Responsiveness is the prompt attention to consumer problems, concerns, and issues. Answering the telephone quickly; being understanding and empathetic; listening, listening, and listening some more. Most customers just want someone to listen and understand. Insure that you have policies and people in place who truly care for and take care of customer concerns. After all, without the customer, you would be a non-entity.
Convenience is assuring the product is assessable when the customer wants it. The enormous success of the corner convenient store is affirmation that consumers will pay a bit more for the convenience of not having to go out of his or her way. The more work customers have to do to access your product or service, the less profits you will see and the more likely that the competitor who aptly plans for effective ‘placement’ in their marketing strategy will get those crucial consumer dollars.
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consu
The Challenge: Pregnant Girls Memory ProblemsHave you heard the stories of pregnant women who have walked into shops but then forgot what they came to purchase? Then there is the folklore story about the pregnant woman who actually forgot how to drive whilst she was midway through a journey. Terrified she stopped right in the middle of an intersection. Whist pregnancy memory loss only happens for a couple of seconds or minutes at the most it can cause havoc especially at work.Tip to minimise memory problems• Plan your day At the beginning of each day make a list of everything that you must complete. As you complete each task tick it off your list. By being organized, you minimise the chance of forgetting something important.• Keep a list of important contacts Do not rely on your ability to remember all important phone numbers and contacts off by heart. Key a list handy just in case you need it.• Use the database diligently Almost every organisation has a datab
THE 7 STANDARDS DEFINED:
Responsiveness is the prompt attention to consumer problems, concerns, and issues. Answering the telephone quickly; being understanding and empathetic; listening, listening, and listening some more. Most customers just want someone to listen and understand. Insure that you have policies and people in place who truly care for and take care of customer concerns. After all, without the customer, you would be a non-entity.
Convenience is assuring the product is assessable when the customer wants it. The enormous success of the corner convenient store is affirmation that consumers will pay a bit more for the convenience of not having to go out of his or her way. The more work customers have to do to access your product or service, the less profits you will see and the more likely that the competitor who aptly plans for effective ‘placement’ in their marketing strategy will get those crucial consumer dollars.
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consu
The Key IngredientYou've heard it yourself. He's the life and soul of the place, a grand man altogether. She's the heart of the business, a formidable woman. Sometimes, it seems to me that the more successful hotels or restaurants are those that are closely identified with their larger-than-life owner or founder. In Ireland, the personalities of P.V. Doyle, Myrtle Allen and Paddy Fitzpatrick stand squarely out in front of the places they created. Elsewhere, Conrad Hilton and Heston Blumenthal do the same. Did I say 'closely identified'? Sometimes, in our minds, they are the business. We find it impossible to imagine these establishments without them.In many ways, these characters make the business of branding the hotel or restaurant a simple matter. No need to worry about the tricky question of differentiation for they are one of a kind, outstanding in a field that they've paced out, planted and grown. If you need to know how the brand should behave, just study the o
Quality is consumer expectations of high standards in the product or service provided. Although cost is a large factor in the marketing mix, the average consumer will pay a bit more for high quality merchandise. However, make no mistake about it – even if the consumer does not pay excessive dollars for a product or service, they still expect some level of quality performance.
Competence is knowing your business, your product or service, and your customer. Consumers want to know that when they have questions, you have the answers. Be sure that anyone who answers your business line or who greets your customer is knowledgeable about what you do and how you do it. Incompetence drives customers to competitors. The wise competitor will be ready to receive them.
Consumers buy products and utilize services for one reason only – Gratification. Gratification is that psychological satisfaction we talked about earlier. Consumers expect their lives to be improved by your product or service. If your product fails to gratify them, it will be the one and only time that they purchase your product or service. Remember, consumers have a large (very large) memory bank when they are disappointed. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and keep those you make.
Sincerity is the ability to make the consumer trust and believe in your product or service. That means they must trust and believe in your. In this day and age of massive competition for almost every product imaginable, I consistently tell my clients that the customer is not buying your product or service, they are in actuality, buying your impression upon them. If they like you, they will do business with you; if they don’t, they won’t. Also, commit to memory this customer service law: Everyone who has contact with your customer is your Customer Service Specialist and impacts your bottom line. Assure that the impact is profit making not profit breaking.
Integrity is being honest with your customers. The average consumer may want things simple, but is, by no means, a simpleton. There is nothing wrong with the statement, “I don’t know” as long as it is followed by, “But, I will find out and get back with your immediately”. Customers prefer frankness over double talk. The things that will make your customer run post haste to the nearest competitor is the perception that you are cheating them, taking them for a ride or taking advantage of them. Integrity is the name of the game. My clients are continuously reminded of this critical statistic – “a satisfied customer will tell approximately 4 to 5 people of their great experiences with you; a dissatisfied customer will tell between 23 to 27”. As you can assess, you need to make sure you have a far greater number of satisfied customer to counter just one dissatisfied one if you plan on longevity in the market place. Be honest and forthright and your customers will provide you with repeat business… which leads to ultimate success. Be dishonest - and they will ruin you.
If your customer service team does not have all the skills needed to build a program of Customer Service Excellence, invest in a customer service course or take a training class. Remember that a strong customer service orientation is the key to unlocking the door to “Gaining Your Competitive Edge”.
Ms Adams- Robinson, the Virtuous Visionary, is available for personal coaching, group training, customized organizational training, conferences, motivational presentations and spiritual speaking engagements.
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