Almost a decade ago, when I was promoted to head of customer service at a self-financing company, my first goal was to improve the service provided to customers. However, despite the multiple actions that were carried out, customers continued to cancel contracts, arguing that they received poor service.
Ignoring why the image before the clients did not improve, I decided to ask them directly the reasons for their disagreement: The most useful answer I got was: Because this company provides a lousy service. Without giving credit to what I was hearing (because the comment made me think that all the work in our area had not been noticed), I asked again:
Have we taken care of it incorrectly? Where have we failed? The response was more than illustrative: The attention they gave me in this department has been excellent, but the company's service remains mediocre.
This event produced teachings that I had not found in books or training courses on the quality of customer service: and, in the opinion of the customer, attention and service are not the same; Then, I understood that this misinterpretation was the reason why the planned actions did not achieve the expected success. All of our efforts had focused solely on improving customer service, but never service.
Today, there are still many entrepreneurs who confuse these terms, so their efforts to improve the service fail miserably, regardless of their sincere interest in achieving it.
WE DEFINE CONCEPTS
So if attention is not customer service. What is actually the service? For a customer, service is not simply courtesy, but this concept has to do with a number of factors.
- Tangible elements: They range from the appearance of the facilities and equipment (exterior and interior) of your store, the presentation of the personnel and communication materials, to the display of the products for sale.Compliance: It implies developing the promised service correctly and in a timely manner.. Did you receive the purchased product on the promised date? Did you receive it in the requested (or displayed) conditions, that is, model, color, size, etc.? Did you receive the additional accessories? Disposition: It means helping customers and offering an agile service. Did the seller approach the customer or did the customer have to go through the entire store to find him? Did the seller attend to the customer before doing any other activity (chatting with someone else, filling out a form, etc.? Did the delivery people show willingness when delivering their purchase to the place requested by the client? Qualities of the staff. They demonstrate that employees are competent in their jobs and capable of inspiring confidence. Was the seller courteous? Did you know the requirements and conditions of sale? Did you know the products you were trying to sell? Empathy: Provides easy access for the customer; understand your needs; maintain constant communication in clear and simple language. Is it easy for the customer to get to your establishment? Does it have parking? Are the prices of the articles in sight? Do you know their opinion, needs, tastes, etc.?Was the seller courteous? Did you know the requirements and conditions of sale? Did you know the products you were trying to sell? Empathy: Provides easy access for the customer; understand your needs; maintain constant communication in clear and simple language. Is it easy for the customer to get to your establishment? Does it have parking? Are the prices of the articles in sight? Do you know their opinion, needs, tastes, etc.?Was the seller courteous? Did you know the requirements and conditions of sale? Did you know the products you were trying to sell? Empathy: Provides easy access for the customer; understand your needs; maintain constant communication in clear and simple language. Is it easy for the customer to get to your establishment? Do you have parking? Are the prices of the articles in sight? Do you know their opinion, needs, tastes, etc.?
These factors do not only participate in the self-financing service, the same occurs when any other product or service is sold; Try to analyze and capture what each of them represents in your business environment, and you will realize the possible image of service that you present to your customers.
WHERE TO START?
First, the entrepreneur must focus on the most important factor for the client: COMPLIANCE. We all buy products and services in order to receive them on time and in the correct way; I still do not know a customer who buys something regardless of whether they receive it or not, only with the intention of receiving friendly treatment. If your company does not fulfill the promise of sale, it is impossible to think that the client will return to buy from him again, much less recommend him.
IN THE CUSTOMER'S OPINION, ATTENTION AND SERVICE IS NOT THE SAME. DO YOU ATTEND THESE TWO ASPECTS IN YOUR COMPANY?
Making an analogy of the evaluation carried out by the client to the service, using a school grading method, where the event is approved or failed, we could say that obtaining a 10 means excellence in service (the client is delighted, he will buy again and will recommend it to as many people as possible); obtaining a 5 (or less) indicates that the company has failed the customer's evaluation and that the customer will not buy again or recommend us favorably.
Imagine that focusing properly on the compliance factor can give you an evaluation 6 (the client will buy again) and the sum of the rest of the factors could only result in a 4 (not enough for the client to buy again).
As demonstrated in this analogy, focusing on improving customer service or the image of tangible elements (modernizing facilities, uniforming staff, etc.) does not help the customer to perceive quality service if they do not comply before. your promise to sell.
While keeping promises to sell should be the norm in all organizations, I assure you that more than half of customer complaints and problems stem from failing to deliver. Attention and service are not the same; The client evaluates a service based on the five factors mentioned above and, of these, compliance is the most important, since it represents more than half of the evaluation. Therefore, focusing on compliance will allow your company to initially improve service and your customer will be satisfied. Find ways to keep all (or at least most) of your service promises. Your customers will notice the difference; and you too.
