Customer Service Program – A Must Have

“The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” – Orison Swett Marden

When any company and its representatives put themselves in their customer’s place they would realize the importance of the customer, their needs and their expectations. Customer service skills are extremely vital for everyone in the organization and hence putting together a customer service program for all makes for excellent business sense. A well-defined and properly structured customer service program is required such that a company develops the capability of effectively and swiftly responding to the needs and issues of their customers. Customer service, as discussed, is no longer the domain of just one team or at best extending to the sales and marketing teams. Through a well-managed and company-wide customer service program a company is able to focus on what the customer expects from the company, what they like, what their pain areas are and how better the company can provide for these expectations through their products and services.

The key to getting ‘it right’ for customers each time is by first ‘knowing’ each customer well. A thorough understanding of the customers is possible through segmenting them in groups and this in turn should be part of the company’s customer service program. Only through a proper understanding of the customer will a company be able to offer customized products and effective solutions that would be of value to the customer. A customer service program helps each person in the company to understand the level of customer service that the company seeks to provide, the gaps between current and targeted levels and how best to close these gaps. A customer service program truly makes customer service everyone’s responsibility and provides the support and guidance that ‘non-customer service staff’ would need in order to be readily equipped to manage at least basic customer service.

A customer service program is essential, more so now, since companies and customers are becoming global, the channels of communication are many and information can be accessed from anywhere and at any time and such a program keeps them prepared. The ‘power’ that customers now have, has made them want more and want it now and a customer service program instils commitment, passion and discipline towards customer service. No one is absolved of this responsibility anymore and the top management of the company must lead this program in order for it to permeate the organization and become part of the culture. A customer service program cannot be successful without it becoming a process – one that is relentless, on-going and consistent. It must be carefully thought out to be sustainable in order to remain effective and drive the entire focus of the company towards the customers. The other benefit of a customer service program is that companies understand better how to treat their internal customers – the employees. So let’s just say that like any other customer service imperative, a customer service program is also from the inside out.

Without a robust customer service program and long term strategy to serve customers, no company would be able to serve the customers in the manner that they should be. Customer service situations are often ‘urgent and important’ and hence it becomes even more crucial that each person in the organization has an understanding of how to deal with these situations. Customers cannot be expected to wait simply because the ‘concerned person’ is not available to answer even the most basic query. When customers receive such service (or the lack of it) they would much rather go on to a company that does value their time. A customer service program puts each person in the organization in touch with the realities of this aspect of business and also puts it in perspective with the current cut-throat competitive business world.

We know that things change fast – what is a reality today might be irrelevant tomorrow. The same is true for customers and the service a company provides to them. No company, however large, can expect to be successful in their customer service endeavours if they don’t consistently update their methods. With a properly structured customer service program a company is able to look at customer service as a strategy that is long term and one that cannot be done well without consistent attention. A customer service program puts this important function at par with and in the forefront with all other critical business strategies and policies, which then reflects in everything that the company does. With enhanced service levels, better products, polite and empathetic company representatives and other such improved aspects, customers stay happy and become loyal over time and would gladly let others know about the great service and offerings they receive from your company. Anyone in business knows that customer loyalty and well-placed testimonials are indispensable to success.

Customer service just cannot be a short-term program – sudden outbursts of customer service fervour will die down just as swiftly as it rose and soon everyone would forget about the ‘initiative’. For customer service to be culture and something that forms the foundation of the company, it must be formalized and unremitting – the very purpose of a well-structured customer service program. The companies that do have such strategy in place are able to reap huge and continuous benefits, easing out the tough tasks of gaining and retaining customers. You know it is not easy to do either and even when you are able to gain customers it is another uphill task to get them to provide repeat business and if you are unable to provide them the kind of service that motivates them to do so it might be tough to then retain them.

A customer service program enables a company to analyse its customer base without bias and then segment it, put together the resources required to service each customer segment and would even have the provision to put together adequate and relevant training and coaching programs for all company employees. This whole-hearted and combined effort is what would make customer service effective, relevant and valuable for the customers. As a company increases its focus on the customers, it would find it simpler to anticipate the needs and expectations of customers and what would be required to proactively service those needs. A customer service program lends confidence to all employees in being able to serve customers well and also makes them more agile and adaptable to the ever changing needs and demands that customers have and make. Many companies also include recognition programs as part of the customer service program, under which those employees that consistently serve the customers well are recognized and rewarded, making this program even more successful. For customers to remain happy and become loyal, it is essential that the customer service program runs well – of course the payoffs for a company include higher profits, enhanced reputation, more customers and a happy workforce.

In addition, to getting great and reliable service for customers, a customer service program also ensures that there is a concentrated focus on improving the work life of employees too. When employees are unhappy with policies that directly affect them – salaries, increments, rewards, growth opportunities and other such policies – it becomes increasingly hard for them to give their maximum effort and provide flawless customer service. By understanding these roadblocks to great customer service, a company not only ensures that its customers are pleased but also that employees are happy and do what is required of them even without supervision. Employees that are respected and valued will naturally make external customers feel the same way. A customer service program is a method that enables companies to look at service from the viewpoint of customers and employees and ensure that this program becomes an on-going strategy for a solid and successful business.

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