Having the firm intention of satisfying the client is a fundamental step. It means that they have understood that customer satisfaction is the way to achieve their goals, and that they are ready to make it happen. But to take only this first step is to stay halfway, and it is worse than not having undertaken it. What does it take to reach the goal?
Having the firm intention of satisfying the client is a fundamental step. It means that the organization, and its employees, have understood that customer satisfaction is the way to achieve their goals, and that they are preparing to make it happen.
But to take only this first step is to stay halfway, and it is worse than not having undertaken it. Why?
When we intend to satisfy the customer, we put our resources into motion. But if we don't go all the way, to really satisfy it, all those resources will be wasted.
The worst part is that this happens frequently. Management makes the decision to work to focus on the customer, empowers its employees, instilling in them the impulse to serve them so that they are satisfied, but many times they forget to give them all the tools to make their intentions come true.
A few days ago I was attended by a saleswoman from a building materials business. The items I needed were spread across two different warehouses, one in front of the other. Seeing my young daughter, the vendor offered that the delivery staff bring the materials from one warehouse to the other, so that I would not have to move. I appreciated your attention.
However, when I go to pick them up, the delivery staff tells me that I should move to the other warehouse, because that day they could not make the transfer.
Obviously the saleswoman had the good intention of satisfying me. She saw me with my baby, she understood that it was a necessity for me to avoid transfers, and she proposed it. But… she stayed halfway.
From good intention to satisfaction, it takes management. And the management was not this time. The saleswoman made her promise and stayed there. She didn't call the warehouse staff (before or after she promised) to explain the situation and make sure the service offered is feasible.
What effect does good intention to satisfy the customer have when it doesn't end well?
The problem is that, when making her offer, the salesperson raised customer expectations. Clients evaluate the quality of a service by comparing their expectations with the service actually received. They do not compare technical specifications vs. reality. They compare expectations, and this makes the question more complex.
The supplier company itself contributes to form those expectations, therefore it must focus on what it delivers, as well as on what it promises, in order to satisfy the customer. If the promise to avoid customer transfers is not fulfilled, the customer is frustrated with that expectation, and perceives a lower quality of service than if the promise had not been fulfilled.
What to do to reach the end in customer satisfaction?
As I said at the beginning, awakening the intention is the first step. That management make the determination to put the customer at the center of its management is absolutely necessary. And what follows is to transmit this strategy to the employees who provide the service.
In this way, the employee realizes that he will be evaluated by how much he satisfies the client he has to serve.
But nurturing these good intentions is unproductive and frustrating if employees are not given tools to manage the service. If they just stick to good intentions but don't move on to management, customer satisfaction will be a good idea, but not a reality.
Employees must close the cycle, with management tools. Therefore, they must be trained in two areas:
- Awareness of how important it is to satisfy the customer, and the genuine intention of achieving it. The tools they need to bring their intentions to reality: management!
Many organizations focus only on the first area, at the risk of this increasing customer expectations to a point that they are then unable to meet.
How are they working in your organization? Which stage are you in?
