Archive for March, 2009
Identifying Relevant Customer Service Measurements
March 6th, 2009 | 
Author: 
Sam Miller asked:
To determine how a company is performing in terms of customer service, some customer service measurements are used regularly. These measurements are designed to assess how satisfied customers are with the services provided by a company.
Customer service is commonly defined as a series of activities that are organized to increase customer satisfaction levels so that a product or service will exceed customer expectation. Customer service may be extended in an automated manner through self-service means like support Internet sites, or by persons like sales and customer service representatives. Usually, the main basis of customer service is customer data collection or demographics. Today, a wide variety of customer service tools are now available. Aside from support websites, databases that determine individual customer preferences and buying patterns and specialist software are now used. Moreover, companies also have come up with new ways to capture feedback from customers. A few of these new feedback channels include mobile email and text messages. By knowing the perceptions and opinions of customers, companies are able to find ways to enhance the quality of the services they provide as well as improve the experience of their customers.
Several companies have integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technologies to their operations. CRM is a multifaceted process that allows companies to have better knowledge of the needs, wants, and buying patterns of their customers. By making these data available for customers, companies are better able to anticipate the needs of existing and prospective customers. However, CRM initiatives should be aligned with customer-based strategies, as this technology will be useless if its implementation ends up with its installation. CRM usually supports several business processes including sales, marketing, and customer service. This technology enables a company system to compile a customer’s contact history and allows customer service representatives to retrieve these data when needed. By keeping tabs of a customer’s contact history, customers would no longer need to disclose the subject of his previous interactions with a company customer service representative.
Setting customer service standards is a crucial step in assessing the quality of service provided to customers. When setting these standards, managers and other mid-level managers should make sure that they are realistic. These standards should not be too low for these would just encourage complacency and idleness. At the same time, they should not be too high that they are impossible to achieve. Moreover, the company must determine the standards that they need to measure and the most efficient way to measure them. When establishing measurements, it is recommended that managers determine why key customers patronize their product or service instead of the competition. Also, obstacles that hinder the company’s internal customers, or employees, from providing quality customer service should be identified. Processes that are critical for product and service delivery should also be regularly evaluated so that bottlenecks are eliminated early. Lastly, there should be balance between production cost, product or service quality, and cycle time. When fully and effectively utilized, customer service measurements will be instrumental for companies to achieve higher profit margins.
Gerald
To determine how a company is performing in terms of customer service, some customer service measurements are used regularly. These measurements are designed to assess how satisfied customers are with the services provided by a company.
Customer service is commonly defined as a series of activities that are organized to increase customer satisfaction levels so that a product or service will exceed customer expectation. Customer service may be extended in an automated manner through self-service means like support Internet sites, or by persons like sales and customer service representatives. Usually, the main basis of customer service is customer data collection or demographics. Today, a wide variety of customer service tools are now available. Aside from support websites, databases that determine individual customer preferences and buying patterns and specialist software are now used. Moreover, companies also have come up with new ways to capture feedback from customers. A few of these new feedback channels include mobile email and text messages. By knowing the perceptions and opinions of customers, companies are able to find ways to enhance the quality of the services they provide as well as improve the experience of their customers.
Several companies have integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technologies to their operations. CRM is a multifaceted process that allows companies to have better knowledge of the needs, wants, and buying patterns of their customers. By making these data available for customers, companies are better able to anticipate the needs of existing and prospective customers. However, CRM initiatives should be aligned with customer-based strategies, as this technology will be useless if its implementation ends up with its installation. CRM usually supports several business processes including sales, marketing, and customer service. This technology enables a company system to compile a customer’s contact history and allows customer service representatives to retrieve these data when needed. By keeping tabs of a customer’s contact history, customers would no longer need to disclose the subject of his previous interactions with a company customer service representative.
Setting customer service standards is a crucial step in assessing the quality of service provided to customers. When setting these standards, managers and other mid-level managers should make sure that they are realistic. These standards should not be too low for these would just encourage complacency and idleness. At the same time, they should not be too high that they are impossible to achieve. Moreover, the company must determine the standards that they need to measure and the most efficient way to measure them. When establishing measurements, it is recommended that managers determine why key customers patronize their product or service instead of the competition. Also, obstacles that hinder the company’s internal customers, or employees, from providing quality customer service should be identified. Processes that are critical for product and service delivery should also be regularly evaluated so that bottlenecks are eliminated early. Lastly, there should be balance between production cost, product or service quality, and cycle time. When fully and effectively utilized, customer service measurements will be instrumental for companies to achieve higher profit margins.
Gerald
How To Deliver Good Customer Service
Anna Stenning asked:
Having worked in the customer service industry before, I know firsthand that this is not an easy job to do. Jobs that focus specifically on customer care and providing the highest quality service to each person require staff to undergo regular customer service training. This is to ensure that staffs are up-to-date when communicating with customers and continue work in keeping your existing customers.
Part of the customer service training is to experience customer interaction when at work. When thrown into the deep end of the service industry, you very quickly learn that people are approaching you for information or looking to buy a specific product. At which point you should be looking to deliver a good service and acting quickly upon their request. There are ways of going wrong in this simple exercise and below are a few pointers to customer service.
One of the key elements of customer service training is making good eye contact with the customer. Imagine if you were to walk into a shop with the intention of buying a product that does not appear to be on the shelves, the first thing you would do is approach a shop assistant for help in locating the item. Once you have approached the shop assistant you notice they immediately look away, even when you have asked them for help. At which point you feel that they are not listening to you.
This would anger me if I felt at any point I was seen to be a bother to someone who is quite clearly there to serve me as part of his or her job. How you portray yourself to a customer is important and works on the same principal as the saying ‘first impressions count’. The first impression you give to the customer must be welcoming, helpful, friendly and above all with eye contact. Making eye contact will ensure the customer that you are listening to them and acknowledging what they say.
Always greet the customer or make yourself approachable in a professional manner. Obviously, try not to overwhelm them and scare them away, but a warming smile and a decent response to their queries is a good starting point. During your customer service training, you will learn that communication, body language and tone of your voice are essential to good customer service. Bad customer service will mean the customer will not return and they in turn will tell others not to use your services.
The other most important thing to remember with good customer service is to maintain the customer’s attention and keep them informed of your actions. Think of your own experiences whereby you may have ordered something from the shop, taken the time to travel into the shop to collect the item and have found that it has not yet arrived. When you enquire about the item, you are told that it will arrive next week; when next week arrives, the item has still not turned up and again you are told the same thing.
The whole scenario leaves you feeling frustrated and confused. You should always inform the customer of exactly what is happening from the moment they have made their inquiry about their item; otherwise, you could potentially lose their custom. If at any point, a customer feels neglected or misinformed, they will cancel any procedures or transactions they have with you and move to a rival business. Always be apologetic, explaining why they have not received what they have been waiting for and if needed, offer an incentive or discount.
Part of the customer service training is to learn how to keep the customer satisfied, even in situations that is beyond your control. The worst thing you could do is to blame someone else or ‘pass the buck’ as then that will portray a lack in customer care. Trying to rush and resolve through the issue will only make the customer lose confidence in your service.
It is always a good idea to maintain a professional manner at all times and keep in mind the saying (no matter how much you disagree with this statement) ‘the customer is always right’. They are after all, keeping your business running and paying your wages. However, if the customer is getting abusive and you feel threatened by them, only then are you able to take the matter into the management’s hands or ask them to leave the premise.
With customer service training, you will learn the techniques of approaching a customer for potential sales, maintaining their interest and the right way of thanking them for their service with a view for them to return soon. Another key point to good customer service is to retain the number of customers and attract new customers. Once you have gained a reputation of being a business that provides good customer service, your existing customers will recommend your business to others.
By continuing, the training and maintaining the reputation will then become an easier effort for your team.
Bobby
Having worked in the customer service industry before, I know firsthand that this is not an easy job to do. Jobs that focus specifically on customer care and providing the highest quality service to each person require staff to undergo regular customer service training. This is to ensure that staffs are up-to-date when communicating with customers and continue work in keeping your existing customers.
Part of the customer service training is to experience customer interaction when at work. When thrown into the deep end of the service industry, you very quickly learn that people are approaching you for information or looking to buy a specific product. At which point you should be looking to deliver a good service and acting quickly upon their request. There are ways of going wrong in this simple exercise and below are a few pointers to customer service.
One of the key elements of customer service training is making good eye contact with the customer. Imagine if you were to walk into a shop with the intention of buying a product that does not appear to be on the shelves, the first thing you would do is approach a shop assistant for help in locating the item. Once you have approached the shop assistant you notice they immediately look away, even when you have asked them for help. At which point you feel that they are not listening to you.
This would anger me if I felt at any point I was seen to be a bother to someone who is quite clearly there to serve me as part of his or her job. How you portray yourself to a customer is important and works on the same principal as the saying ‘first impressions count’. The first impression you give to the customer must be welcoming, helpful, friendly and above all with eye contact. Making eye contact will ensure the customer that you are listening to them and acknowledging what they say.
Always greet the customer or make yourself approachable in a professional manner. Obviously, try not to overwhelm them and scare them away, but a warming smile and a decent response to their queries is a good starting point. During your customer service training, you will learn that communication, body language and tone of your voice are essential to good customer service. Bad customer service will mean the customer will not return and they in turn will tell others not to use your services.
The other most important thing to remember with good customer service is to maintain the customer’s attention and keep them informed of your actions. Think of your own experiences whereby you may have ordered something from the shop, taken the time to travel into the shop to collect the item and have found that it has not yet arrived. When you enquire about the item, you are told that it will arrive next week; when next week arrives, the item has still not turned up and again you are told the same thing.
The whole scenario leaves you feeling frustrated and confused. You should always inform the customer of exactly what is happening from the moment they have made their inquiry about their item; otherwise, you could potentially lose their custom. If at any point, a customer feels neglected or misinformed, they will cancel any procedures or transactions they have with you and move to a rival business. Always be apologetic, explaining why they have not received what they have been waiting for and if needed, offer an incentive or discount.
Part of the customer service training is to learn how to keep the customer satisfied, even in situations that is beyond your control. The worst thing you could do is to blame someone else or ‘pass the buck’ as then that will portray a lack in customer care. Trying to rush and resolve through the issue will only make the customer lose confidence in your service.
It is always a good idea to maintain a professional manner at all times and keep in mind the saying (no matter how much you disagree with this statement) ‘the customer is always right’. They are after all, keeping your business running and paying your wages. However, if the customer is getting abusive and you feel threatened by them, only then are you able to take the matter into the management’s hands or ask them to leave the premise.
With customer service training, you will learn the techniques of approaching a customer for potential sales, maintaining their interest and the right way of thanking them for their service with a view for them to return soon. Another key point to good customer service is to retain the number of customers and attract new customers. Once you have gained a reputation of being a business that provides good customer service, your existing customers will recommend your business to others.
By continuing, the training and maintaining the reputation will then become an easier effort for your team.
Bobby
