Most international and regional operating companies regard the quality of their Customer Service the number one differentiating factor for their competitiveness. Even in times of reducing internal costs these companies invest more in their Customer Service Departments because they understand that ‘without customers there is no turn-over’.

These investments are especially focused on Customer Loyalty Programs (how can I keep my current Customers for the long term) and on Customer Experiences Management (CEM: how can I connect with my customers and make them more satisfied based on their needs).

Many seminars are offered on these topics; I like to give you the highlights from the annual Secret Service Summit (USA), which was two weeks ago very successful with presentations and discussions about how to raise Hospitality, Service and Customer Experience to the next level. I will end with a couple of ideas I used in a recent workshop.

I hope that from these practical ideas you or your Customer Service Department might get inspiration and ideas that are applicable in your situation.

So, the ideas that came from this Customer Service conference:
On Company Culture

Great Customer Service starts with a great employee culture; it cannot be bluffed or bullied, but it will give you what you want; you just have to give it what it wants first:

It wants context: Why are things happening?

It wants predictability: What is going to happen next?

It wants a positive sense of self: What is the character, the true intention and the higher purpose of the work I do and the company I do it for? 

On Leadership

Emotional commitment is what your company wants when it says it wants leadership.

The key neurobiological source of emotional commitment comes from living your own deepest personal values in the relationship with your company, your staff and the environment at work. 

On Branding

Becoming a brand means transferring the sustainability of your company to your Customers, who will advertise and sell for you, and step up to protect you if you stumble or get attacked.

"Branded" is a tribute, not a verb - you can't claim it; it has to be given to you. 

On the Best Customer Service

The New Normal has changed Customer Service forever

• It's time to find new ways to relate to Customers
• Empathize and advocate for your Customer's needs publicly 
• Social media is the environment, brand content is the recipe 

Win On the Basics

• When looking for ways to differentiate our business it's easy to get carried away with "wow" factors, that we overlook the most powerful "wow" factor of all: be the best at what Customers value most. Your goal should be to be so good at the basics that you are cutting edge. 
• Create WIN/WIN Relationships. Market leaders and winning brands are those that are best at creating wins for Customers, employees, business partners, and the community. We should always strive to create wins, opportunities, and solutions for others. It is the ultimate power strategy in business and in life - be sure the other guy wins! 
• Take action. People in extraordinary companies have great ideas and take decisive action on them. People in mediocre companies have great ideas, too, but they never get past thinking about them, talking about them, and having meetings about them. Your ideas have no value until you take action. Stop thinking about it and DO it! 
• If you compete in an industry where world-class Customer Service is not the norm, even more the reason to make it your distinct competitive advantage. 
• You can dramatically increase employees' service attitude and solidify their awareness to your service vision, pillars and Nevers & Always by making it fun through interactive eLearning games, i.e. Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Matching. 
• Creating a world-class Customer Service organization is a long-term commitment by the entire executive team and needs a dedicated champion, i.e. Customer Xperience Officer. 

Connect with your Customers

• Companies need to systemize hospitality to make it easy for front-line employees to genuinely connect with each Customer 
• Online retail satisfaction is rising while brick & mortar is declining because retailers are failing at their biggest competitive advantage-- building human relationships with the Customer standing in front of them. 
• Hire for attitude not aptitude 

Service is a Feeling

• We need to pay attention to the human needs behind the business needs. The need to be truly heard, acknowledged, remembered and respected. 
• It is simple but not easy, so wearing the "turtle hat" and embodying the metaphor, reminds us to stick our necks out, have a hard shell so we don't take things personally and be slow to respond with a negative emotional trigger. 

Being Right Is The Booby Prize

• This is the place service breaks down the fastest. If we could let go of having to be right we could actually serve customers with little confrontation and upset.
• It does not mean we do not have guidelines; it simply makes the distinction to serve customers as opposed to holding on to our own righteousness 

Nice to know 

The annual award for the best ‘Customer Service Excellence’ went to Chick-fil-A, the second largest quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the USA.

The Jury noted: Chick-fil-A has revolutionized the quick-service industry as well as best practices for world-class hospitality for nearly every industry. Some highlights of best practices of CFA that were recognized: 

• Their service vision: Making every guest feel cared for unlike anywhere else 
• The Core 4:  Create eye contact, share a smile, speak with enthusiasm, and stay connected 
• 2nd Mile Behaviors: Carry meals to the table for high-needs guests, clear trays from tables and refresh beverages every 15 minutes, and carry large orders to cars. 

• Their ability to get their front-line employees to be true brand evangelists. 

Chip Bell’s 25 ways to Thank your Customers in an Innovative Service Way

Most customer relationships don’t end in conflict…most vanilla to death. Neglect is more dangerous than strife; indifference more costly than error. Great relationships are fueled by affirmation.

Nurturing the bounty of customer loyalty requires more than proper cultivation and seeding. It must be fertilized with attention and care. “Courting” the customer does not end with the sale or transaction.

Superior Service providers never take a valued relationship for granted and remain ever vigil for ways to celebrate the joy of the partnership and express gratitude for the return it provides. Just as the words “thank you” can be spoken in many different languages, gratitude can be expressed in many different ways.

Below are twenty-five ways to show customers your gratitude.

Use this list to jump start your own list.

Amplify the items to suit your situation and customer.

Remember, what turns on one customer may be a turn off to another.

Recognition comes from the root word “cognoscere” meaning “to know.”

Know your customers and monogram your affirmation.

1.   Invite a customer to an important staff meeting
2.   Arrange for a special learning experience for customers
3.   Handwrite a thank you note to a key customer
4.   Send customers greeting cards on all key holidays and special days
5.   Name a policy, building, or conference room for a key customer
6.   Provide a special parking space for a key customer
7.   Start a fund or scholarship in the name of a key customer
8.   Provide a donation in the name of your customer to his/her favorite charity
9.   Provide a special discount for loyal customers
10. Create a forum that allows for public recognition of customers
11. Remember a customer’s birthday in a unique and personalized way
12. Send customers a subscription to a magazine they value
13. Buy helpful books for key customers
14. Invite customers to your home for a cookout
15. Provide tickets to an event valued by the customer
16. Nominate your customer for a special award
17. Find a way to compliment your customer to their customer
18. Put up pictures of your customer in the cafeteria
19. Invite customers to talk about their needs and goals in front of all employees
20. Feature key customers in your organization’s newsletter
21. Give your customer a gift that you won…like a weekend at ___.
22. Poll your customer for their input on important changes you plan to make
23. Ask your customer for advice on how to better run your unit or organization
24. Purchase an ad in a key publication to thank your customers
25. Have an executive write a thank you letter to a key customer

John Lodder M.A., MSc.

www.balance-consultancy.com

info@balance-consultancy.com