Guy Kawasaki has posted two great entries about the art of customer service at his site. Looking over the two posts, there are a number of great points (18 to be exact!) about customer service.
I’m looking at his points from my viewpoint as a customer/consumer and he is spot on. I am thinking about the companies that I enjoy, or the places that I shop, and what seperates the good from the great is the customer service. To me, good customer service makes me forget that the person on the other end may be dealing with a thousand other people every day and makes me feel as if I am the only customer or client that matters. That is as easy as:
1. Use their name. Though it may seem obvious, youd be surprised how much of a difference addressing a customer by name can make. If a customer has their name somewhere in their email (as well as in the actual email address such as bob@bobinc.com), start the email with Hi Bob. If someone is calling you, ask for their name, and then actually address them by name when appropriate (basically anywhere youd use sir or madam). Another good way to make the customer service experience more personal is to ask for the customers name instead of just a reference or a ticket ID. If theres a lot of people with their name, then ask for another personal piece of information like an email address or phone number. If all else fails, use the reference or ticket ID.
As hokey as it sounds, when I am treated as an individual rather than a nameless consumer, I am likely to respond positively to that company and much more likely to continue my relationship with them.
The only other point that I am going to highly here is this:
8. Follow-up. Probably the biggest difference between acceptable and great customer service is how often (and how well) the customer service department follows-up. If a customer makes a suggestion, follow-up on it and give them a call or send them an email with the result. If a customer calls with a customer service problem and you believe its resolved, send them an email or give them a call asking if their problem has been resolved to their satisfaction. Make follow-ups personal (avoid Our records indicate you had a problem on April 1, 2006. If you need further assistance, please contact us.) and sincere and customers will truly appreciate it.
I was talking with my father about companies following up with their customers and how few do this well. Especially at the local business level, this should be a no-brainer move that requires a minimal investment. For example, last year my father got his driveway resurfaced. Now it is twelve months later and it’s getting to be the time where he has started thinking about doing it again in preparation for the Summer. He called up the company, gave them his phone number and the represenative was able to pull up all of his information, treating him well and treating him like an individual and not just another customer. Within a few minutes he had his appointment set up and was off the phone.
The next day he gets a card in the mail from the company reminding him that it had been one year since he got his driveway resurfaced and telling him that maybe he would like to think about getting it redone again. This is exactly what great customer service (and the point, above) is about. It is just a fluke that he had called them on the same day that they were sending out a follow up postcard, but it happened. Had he not been thinking about getting his driveway redone, this card would have put the thought in his mind and would have made him more likely to contact the company again. Such a simple concept but not often executed well.
For more from Guy Kawasaki’s blog, check out his excellent posts: The Art of Customer Service and The Art of Customer Service, Part II.