Business monitor March:Layout 1 16/02/2010 14:26 Page 21
BUSINESS MONITOR
Customer Service
Getting it right every time
Do you live up to your promise? Marketing expert Paul Clapham
explores customer service with some
hints and tips for keeping your customers on side.
Y
ou see the customer service boasts Consider that most of the stories of top class service (which it was) rather than good selling
everywhere: our aim is not customer service you have heard refer to one person doing (which it also was). The point is that lots of
satisfaction, but customer delight; in our the unexpected. But in almost all cases they will customers don’t know the potential breadth of
business the customer is king; we go the extra yard. refer to an empowered individual, someone printwear and the impact it can have on their
Unfortunately, seeing one of those signs is often working in an environment where high service business, so selling the full proposition becomes
prelude to a disappointment. The business owner standards are aimed for throughout the company. good service.
seems to think that putting the sign up is as good It is my contention that quality customer service You can’t deliver good customer service from
as delivering its promise. starts with good quality selling. It sets the tone for behind your desk or sitting in the shop. You have to
The real issue is that too many businesses define a business relationship from the outset. Let’s take get out there and meet the potential customers. At
“good customer service” by a yardstick that should an example. A client calls two printwear businesses the very least, you have to get on the phone and
apply to “doing your job properly”. They would be wanting high vis jackets for their sales engineers. invite them into your shop. If you just respond to
shocked, too, to hear that the standards they apply One visits quickly, is organised, has a range of enquiries you’ll never build customer relationships
are merely average. The truth is that, while samples and knows the garment decoration options and they are the basis on which good service is
standards have improved, we have a low level of well. He gives a good price, confirmed by post. founded.
expectation of customer service in the UK. As a Meanwhile his competitor is similarly on the ball There are lots of little ways to enhance your service
consequence, it only takes a little bit of effort to over high vis jackets but he also establishes that the which are invariably very low cost or free. They are
look like a stand-out operator. engineers don’t have winter weight sweatshirts, he usually about attention to detail. Top Banana
I asked some contacts what they regard as the best points out the benefits of all staff wearing quotes the example of how you deliver product – in
in customer service. The overall response was corporate polo shirts and suggests children’s sized solid new boxes with the contents detailed on the
“someone who always goes the extra yard”, variants for anyone with kids “because all kids lid, with a sample product bagged on the lid, all the
“someone who delivers more than they promise”, want to dress like Dad”. products in the box face up, all size and colour
“someone who gets it right first time, every time”. No surprises, the second guy got the order, which, variations together. This is all the simplest of
That word ‘someone’ kept coming up – not ‘a over time, he turned from a few hundred pounds customer care but it makes life easy for the
business which…’ That confirms that the best of into a few thousand. The customer who told me
customer service is associated with individuals. this story talked about it as an example of good
continued over
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk March 2010 | 21 |
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