Can you provide this? Customers said they’ll pay more if you can.
What is it? Better customer service.
The best part: You won’t have to overhaul customer service to make it happen.
Almost half of customers say they’re willing to pay more for products and services if it’ll ensure they get a higher level of customer service, according to Accenture Strategy’s Global Pulse Consumer Research report.
“Companies have lost sight of the importance of human interaction and often make it too difficult for consumers to get the right level of help and service that they need,” said Robert Wollan, senior managing director of advanced customer strategy at Accenture.
Customers don’t expect a Ritz-Carlton experience every time they deal with a company. So you don’t have to take it to that level. Up a notch, though? That works.
Here are five ways to make your good service better — and possibly turn it into a larger profit-making asset:
1. Get rid of the toxins
Sometimes the best way to make customer service better is to get rid of what makes it unpleasant. Use surveys to ask the tough, blunt questions: What is the worst part of your experience with us? What’s awful about doing business with us? What doesn’t work for you?
Poor experiences impact customer loyalty and profits. When customers help you identify the biggest hassles, you can weed out what’s costing you business.
2. Spread the right stories
Everyone in your organization can do a better job of delivering great service and “wowing” customers if they know about other “wow” stories. Talk about, publish and promote stories of employees who went the extra mile for customers.
Don’t brush service missteps under the rug. Share what you can learn from those mistakes. Then keep the positive stories in the forefront.
3. Put the right people up front
Great customer service sometimes doesn’t happen because the wrong people are dealing with customers. Leaders keep or put people on the front line because of seniority, technical skill or an unfounded obligation. Meanwhile, the person who can up everyone’s game is behind the scenes.
Look for the people who make customers light up. In one case, at the Fairmont Southampton, a doorman who put it on himself to make every customer feel relaxed and welcomed helped up everyone’s game. The hotel had been struggling with customer satisfaction, and when the doorman took the lead, some colleagues followed suit. Others, who weren’t as interested in being like him, left their jobs. In the end, complaints dropped and satisfaction went up.
4. Advise
Customers want your products and services. They need your advice. Customer service professionals can make every experience better by doing more than taking orders or answering questions.
If they probe into what customers really need, they can give advice that has a positive impact on customers.
Offer advice — when customers seem open to it — on what’s best for their needs. Professional guidance builds trust and adds to a positive experience. Suggest what will work best, whether it’s a less-expensive product or service … or even something you don’t sell. The goodwill can create loyalty for life.
5. Be efficiently thorough
Getting the job done quickly for customers is often a top priority. But speed isn’t always the best solution. Giving customers a few extra minutes to make sure everything is handled and understood is often more valuable in the long-run than efficiency.
Giving them time makes them feel special — like their needs, interests and business are the most important thing going on now. A positive experience can’t be rushed.
