NEW: Demystifying customer service (Part II)

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba

“When the customer comes first, the customer will last”- Robert Half

Here are more customer service myths and how to demystify them.

SOPs Address Customer Needs for Greater Customer Service
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been used by organisations as a way to address customer needs in order to provide great customer service.

This is only feasible if there is a programme that also empowers the employees to make decisions.

There is no need to put a stage show, where employees are empowered but without any decision-making power.

A policy manual is not enough when dealing with humans that have feelings and emotions.

This is because whatever is in the manual must not be rigid, but rather it must always be altered to fit the current situation.

It must allow for human judgement based on what is on hand, and let them act accordingly.

One thing to note is that there is no room for robots in customer service, since it is always situational.

There is a need to emphasize philosophy over specific tactics, when engaging customers or getting to know their needs.

Solving Customer Problems Quickly is a Sign of Great Customer Service
Marketing, and customer service in particular, is all about being able to communicate right with your audience.

Most companies make the mistake of taking time to line their solutions, so that they can present them to the customer in a certain specific way.

Whilst you are trying to put order, competitors may swipe up your correct information and put out communication that may either expose you or leave you in the cold.

The best thing for corporates to do is to always keep their customers informed.

Excellent customer service is all about being divinely honest and staying open with your customers.

Customers do not like it when a service provider withholds certain important information that may have an effect on their decision-making.

Not all problems can be quickly resolved; some may take a while because of their nature.

In fact, problems that are unique or rare take time to solve, and it is understandable if the customers are taken through the complexity of the problem.

When organisations take time to explain in detail about the problem, and how it can be solved step-by-step, they not only keep their customers in the loop, but they also help them to learn to appreciate the effort that the organisation is making to resolve the service failure.

Putting a press statement is not enough as some customers may miss it, but rather contacting them on every touch point will be ideal.

Recently, I saw a press statement by a certain medical aid company that put a notice to all its members advising them about the challenges in accessing healthcare facilities.

It tried to communicate, but the information was not enough or convincing to the members judging by their responses to the notice.

The medical aid company could have taken time to inform its members the kind of challenges they are likely to face, and how as an organisation they are working to resolve the issues.

This shows that whenever there is a communication gap, speculation is rife and this may lead to misinformation tattering the brand in the process.

Customers are a crucial aspect of any organisation and therefore must always be well aware of everything that may affect them in getting the service that they may have paid for.

I also encountered another social media post that was castigating funeral service providers and labelling them as thieves.

I took time to speak to the operations manager of a popular funeral assurer regarding their funeral policy services, and the issues raised in that particular post.

After our discussion, I then realised that when customers have little information, they spread a lot of misconceptions about certain operations by organisations, and in the process, they smear the brand with unfounded allegations.

It is unfortunate that when people post stuff, they do not seek clarity from the concerned organisations, but rather use emotions to hurt the brands with the little knowledge that they may have.

I also discovered that corporates must be generous with information and communicate it regularly to their customers, so as to close the communication gap. This is one of the safest ways to save their brands from being hurt or killed.

Being Responsive to Customers means Great Customer Service
Corporates must take note that according to research, a large chunk of their customers who have encountered a problem doing business with them will neither call nor contact you for information or resolution.

They will simply stop doing business with you and move to your competitor.

That is why it is said that customer silence is the customer service killer, because the service provider will never know where it needs improvement or even a total overhaul.

Some corporates make the mistake of assuming that if there are no complaints or questions from customers, then it is all a bed of roses.

Successful service providers always make it a point to proactively reach out to their customers so that they know their customers’ experience with the brand.

Using a variety of channels, such as special customer service audits, organisations can routinely reach out to their customers and gauge the customer experience with their brands.

Be visible to your target market and work any situation to your advantage.

Some think a defensive response to a crisis is the way to go, but alas it may actually dim your light.

Remember customers will be watching your every step, and are eager to see how you will come out of the muddy waters.

So, sometimes it is good to admit your failures, take responsibility for that mishap and use the public forum to resolve your crisis.

The same forum used can become your arena for crisis resolution.

*Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for customer service. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712 979 461, 0719 978 335