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The
Customer is King...or there is NO Kingdom
By Coach
Bud Coggins
(Business
Leader Magazine May 2002)
If you were given
a lie detector test today with only one
question, “Does your company deliver superior
customer service?” could you answer an
unequivocal YES? If you answered yes, would you
pass the test? If your answer is not yes, you
are missing the most impactful way to
differentiate your company from competitors.
Delivering superior customer service is
exceeding customer expectations and providing
those unexpected, little touches that make a big
difference. As in any lasting relationship, you
must earn the trust of your customers. It is
incumbent upon you to instill confidence in them
that you and your company possess the competency
to provide successful solutions.
In
today’s crowded, competitive marketplace, you
have to find ways to prevent customers and
prospects from perceiving your products/services
as “commodities”. In a commodity market,
price becomes the determining factor for making
their purchase. I don’t know any entrepreneurs
whose dream it is to be known as the “lowest
price guy in town”.
It
is amazing how simple the concept of delivering
superior customer service is and how apparently
difficult it is to deliver. It doesn’t have to
be that way. When you develop and maintain a
mindset that the customer is your number one
priority, you develop a customer service culture
that becomes a way of life. This ultimately
determines the company’s success.
It
is interesting how the slowed economy and the
tragic events of 9/11 have precipitated some
renewal of customer service. We are certainly
not in a customer service renaissance, but any
awareness of the value of a customer is a good
thing. History has shown us that, unfortunately,
as business starts improving and more customers
are available, the value of the customer seems
to diminish.
As
Benjamin Disraeli told us over 150 years ago,
“The Secret of Success is Consistency of
Purpose”. When we establish a consistent
superior customer service culture, we are able
to retain customers and give them an incentive
to help us obtain more.
To
further reinforce the value of customer service,
consider the following research findings. In
Michael LeBoeuf’s book, “How To Win
Customers and Keep Them for Life”, he
highlights a survey designed to find out why
customers quit doing business with a company.
The survey revealed that…
1%
die
3% move away
5% develop other friendships
9% leave for competitive reasons
14% are dissatisfied with product, AND,
68% quit because of an attitude of indifference
toward the customer by the owner, manager, or
some employee
OUCH! 68% stop
doing business because they “feel” the
company does not value them as a customer.
Inexcusable? YES! Avoidable? YES! LeBoeuf goes
on to point out that the typical company hears
from only 4% of its dissatisfied customers. The
other 96% just go quietly away and 91% of those
customers will never come back. This should not
be surprising when you realize that human nature
is to avoid adversarial situations and more
importantly, customers do have other choices of
companies who provide the same products and
services.
There
is one absolute fact of customer service. The
person at the top of the company is the one who
sets the foundation for delivering superior
customer service. That person must understand,
believe and live these principles:
- Demonstrate
by actions that customer’s needs are above
all else
- Empower
employees to solve customer dissasification
on the spot
- Demonstrate
by actions that employees are your best
customers
- Remember,
customers always have a choice (applies to
all but IRS)
- Insure
the lines of communication with customers
(internal and external) are always open
- Invest
in customer service skills training for
everyone in the company
- Focus
on retaining your customers and they will
help you obtain others
- Understand
that the customer may not always be
right…but they are the boss
There
are many good resources for learning more about
the value of customers and ways to deliver
superior customer service. A few recommended
books are: LeBoeuf’s; Moments of Truth
by Jan Carlzon; Raving Fans by Ken
Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.
The
window of opportunity is wide open to
differentiate you and your company from the
crowded, competitive marketplace by delivering
superior customer service.
Demonstrate
to your customers that you value them by
treating them as royalty and your kingdom will
grow and prosper.
May
you achieve the success you EARN.
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