Outrageous Customer Outrageous Customer ServiceService

Take your business beyond Take your business beyond customer servicecustomer service

Part 1-Beyond Customer Part 1-Beyond Customer ServiceService

The Importance of Customer The Importance of Customer Service To Business Success.Service To Business Success.

• To attract and retain customers.To attract and retain customers.• Profits result from retention, loyalty and Profits result from retention, loyalty and

repurchases.repurchases.• Long term customer retention.Long term customer retention.• Marketing tool for your business.Marketing tool for your business.• Makes management easier as everyone is Makes management easier as everyone is

committed to the same goal.committed to the same goal.

Keeping Your Customers.Keeping Your Customers.Shockers!!Shockers!!

• 4% of customers complain. 91% just go away 4% of customers complain. 91% just go away because complaining will do no good. because complaining will do no good.

• For every complaint received, there are 26 For every complaint received, there are 26 other customers with unresolved complaints or other customers with unresolved complaints or problems.problems.

• Most customers that complain (54%-70%) will Most customers that complain (54%-70%) will do business with you again if you resolve their do business with you again if you resolve their problem.problem.

• A dissatisfied will tell 10 people, approximately A dissatisfied will tell 10 people, approximately 13% of those will tell up to 20 people. 13% of those will tell up to 20 people.

Keeping Your Customers.Keeping Your Customers.Shockers!!Shockers!!

• Happy customers with complaints resolved will Happy customers with complaints resolved will tell between three and five people.tell between three and five people.

• It costs five to six times more to attract new It costs five to six times more to attract new customers than to keep old ones.customers than to keep old ones.

• Businesses that provide superior customer service Businesses that provide superior customer service and achieve loyalty can charge more, realize and achieve loyalty can charge more, realize greater profits, and increase their market share.greater profits, and increase their market share.

• The lifetime value of a customer is worth more The lifetime value of a customer is worth more than the cost of returning their purchase price on than the cost of returning their purchase price on one item. one item.

Keeping Your Customers.Keeping Your Customers.Customers stop doing business with you because:Customers stop doing business with you because:

• 1% die.1% die.• 3% move away.3% move away.• 5% seek alternatives or develop other business 5% seek alternatives or develop other business

relationships.relationships.• 9% begin doing business with competition.9% begin doing business with competition.• 14% are dissatisfied with product or service.14% are dissatisfied with product or service.• 68% are upset with the treatment they have 68% are upset with the treatment they have

received.received.

Reasons for poor service.Reasons for poor service.• Uncaring employees.Uncaring employees.• Poor employee training.Poor employee training.• Negative attitudes of employees toward customers.Negative attitudes of employees toward customers.• Differences in perception between the product or Differences in perception between the product or

service businesses think they provide and what service businesses think they provide and what customers think they receive.customers think they receive.

• No customer service philosophy within the No customer service philosophy within the company.company.

• Poor handling and resolution of complaints.Poor handling and resolution of complaints.• Employees are not empowered to provide good Employees are not empowered to provide good

service.service.• Poor treatment of employees as customers.Poor treatment of employees as customers.

Customer service: one, two, Customer service: one, two, three.three.

• Commit to providing superior Commit to providing superior customer service at all levels of your customer service at all levels of your company.company.

• Develop a customer service system Develop a customer service system that is easy for your customers to that is easy for your customers to use.use.

• Design and implement customer Design and implement customer retention programs.retention programs.

Seven steps to a successful Seven steps to a successful customer service systemcustomer service system

1.1. Total management commitment.Total management commitment.2.2. Get to know your customers.Get to know your customers.3.3. Develop standards of service quality Develop standards of service quality

performance.performance.4.4. Hire, train and compensate good staff.Hire, train and compensate good staff.5.5. Reward service accomplishments.Reward service accomplishments.6.6. Stay close to your customers.Stay close to your customers.7.7. Work toward continuous improvement.Work toward continuous improvement.

Part 2-Know Your CustomerPart 2-Know Your Customer

What customers really need, What customers really need, want and expect.want and expect.

1.1. HelpHelp2.2. Respect and recognitionRespect and recognition3.3. Comfort, compassion and supportComfort, compassion and support4.4. To be listened to with empathyTo be listened to with empathy5.5. SatisfactionSatisfaction6.6. Trust and trustworthinessTrust and trustworthiness7.7. A friendly, smiling faceA friendly, smiling face8.8. UnderstandingUnderstanding9.9. To be made to feel importantTo be made to feel important10.10. A quality product or service at a fair priceA quality product or service at a fair price

Determine how to satisfy Determine how to satisfy customerscustomers

1.1. What result or benefit will customers receive What result or benefit will customers receive from my business?from my business?

2.2. What is a customer’s need level for my What is a customer’s need level for my programs and services?programs and services?

3.3. How important is my product or service to a How important is my product or service to a particular customer based on the needs or particular customer based on the needs or wants the purchase satisfies?wants the purchase satisfies?

4.4. What must I do to keep the customer’s What must I do to keep the customer’s business?business?

5.5. What are the perceived costs and perceived What are the perceived costs and perceived risks the customer has about doing business risks the customer has about doing business with me?with me?

How to get the wow factorHow to get the wow factor

• AttitudesAttitudes• BehaviorsBehaviors• ConcernsConcerns• Desires, wants and wishesDesires, wants and wishes• Expectations and intentionsExpectations and intentions• PerceptionsPerceptions• Influencers such as family and friendsInfluencers such as family and friends• Your personal appearanceYour personal appearance• Business appearance and environmentBusiness appearance and environment• CommunicationCommunication• Availability of staffAvailability of staff

10 reasons customers may be 10 reasons customers may be upset.upset.

1.1. They had to wait too long.They had to wait too long.2.2. Their expectations were not met.Their expectations were not met.3.3. They feel helpless, powerless, frustrated or victimized.They feel helpless, powerless, frustrated or victimized.4.4. They feel no one listens to them.They feel no one listens to them.5.5. They were treated poorly or discourteously.They were treated poorly or discourteously.6.6. They were told to do something by a staff person and They were told to do something by a staff person and

it was wrong.it was wrong.7.7. They have personal prejudices against you or your They have personal prejudices against you or your

staff.staff.8.8. They want to control and manipulate.They want to control and manipulate.9.9. They had their integrity questioned by staff.They had their integrity questioned by staff.10.10. Staff argued with them.Staff argued with them.

What customers want from you What customers want from you when they are angrywhen they are angry

• To be heardTo be heard• UnderstoodUnderstood• EmpathizedEmpathized• RespectedRespected• ValuedValued• Made to feel importantMade to feel important• Appreciated for their businessAppreciated for their business• Taken seriouslyTaken seriously• Guaranteed immediate actionGuaranteed immediate action• Assured the problem will not happen againAssured the problem will not happen again• Compensated in some wayCompensated in some way

Part 3-Customer RetentionPart 3-Customer Retention

Customer service marketingCustomer service marketing• Frequent buyer programsFrequent buyer programs• Frequent referral programsFrequent referral programs• Thank-you cardsThank-you cards• NewslettersNewsletters• Telephone calls and recallsTelephone calls and recalls• Customer reward and recognition programsCustomer reward and recognition programs• Customer special eventsCustomer special events• Strategic alliances or partnerships..Strategic alliances or partnerships..

Managing complaints for Managing complaints for retention and salesretention and sales

• Understand why they are complainingUnderstand why they are complaining• ListenListen• Handle one complaint at a timeHandle one complaint at a time• Ask the customer what the needs were at the time of Ask the customer what the needs were at the time of

purchasepurchase• Tell the customer that you understand the complaintTell the customer that you understand the complaint• Once resolved discuss new sales offers and their Once resolved discuss new sales offers and their

benefitsbenefits• More than 75% of the people who complain and have More than 75% of the people who complain and have

the complaint resolved immediately will make the complaint resolved immediately will make another purchase..another purchase..

How to CARE for your How to CARE for your customerscustomers

• CredibleCredible• AccessibleAccessible• ReliableReliable• ExcellenceExcellence

Retention through trainingRetention through training• Customer service, company policies, systems Customer service, company policies, systems

and proceduresand procedures• Team building: developing cohesive and self-Team building: developing cohesive and self-

directed teamsdirected teams• Communication skills (includes effective Communication skills (includes effective

listening)listening)• Sales training basics (everybody sells)Sales training basics (everybody sells)

Tips for long-term customer Tips for long-term customer retentionretention

• User customer’s nameUser customer’s name• Listen to what each customer has to sayListen to what each customer has to say• Be concerned about each customer as an individualBe concerned about each customer as an individual• Be courteousBe courteous• Be responsiveBe responsive• Know your customers’ personal buying histories and Know your customers’ personal buying histories and

motivationsmotivations• Take sufficient time with each customerTake sufficient time with each customer• Involve customers in your businessInvolve customers in your business• Make customers feel importantMake customers feel important• Listen first to understand the customer.Listen first to understand the customer.

Part 4-Keep Your CustomersPart 4-Keep Your Customers

Keep those customersKeep those customers• Create a service-oriented cultureCreate a service-oriented culture• Have a service visionHave a service vision• Policies in writingPolicies in writing• Employee empowermentEmployee empowerment• Employee trainingEmployee training• Marketing the service programMarketing the service program• Hire good peopleHire good people• Don’t make customers pay for serviceDon’t make customers pay for service• Reward loyaltyReward loyalty

Keep those customersKeep those customers• Set standards of performanceSet standards of performance• Trade jobsTrade jobs• User friendly service systemsUser friendly service systems• Design flexibility into your service policiesDesign flexibility into your service policies• Educate the customerEducate the customer• Handle complaints properlyHandle complaints properly• Turn complaints into additional salesTurn complaints into additional sales• Train your employees to do it right the first Train your employees to do it right the first

timetime• Beg for customer feedbackBeg for customer feedback

Keep those customersKeep those customers• Get and use employee ideasGet and use employee ideas• Be fair and consistentBe fair and consistent• Under promise and over deliverUnder promise and over deliver• Compete on benefits, not products or pricesCompete on benefits, not products or prices• High touch is more important than high techHigh touch is more important than high tech• Know the cost of losing a customerKnow the cost of losing a customer• Know your competitionKnow your competition• Conduct internal assessmentsConduct internal assessments• Know what your customers need, want and Know what your customers need, want and

expect.expect.

Keep those customersKeep those customers• Find, nurture and display customer Find, nurture and display customer

championschampions• Effective communication is critical to successEffective communication is critical to success• SmileSmile• Make customers feel importantMake customers feel important• Promote your customersPromote your customers• Create a customer councilCreate a customer council• Market frequent buyer programsMarket frequent buyer programs• Accept only excellenceAccept only excellence• Employees are customers tooEmployees are customers too

Keep those customersKeep those customers• Let customers know you careLet customers know you care• Go the extra mileGo the extra mile• Marketing and customer service go hand in Marketing and customer service go hand in

handhand• Select the right customersSelect the right customers• Conduct a failure analysis on your businessConduct a failure analysis on your business• Know your retention improvement measuresKnow your retention improvement measures• Know your purpose for being in businessKnow your purpose for being in business• Do what works all over againDo what works all over again