07.12.06
How May I Help You?
Providing good customer services does not have to be complicated, complex, or require a PhD to implement. The concept is a relatively simple one, right? After all, how do you define customer service? Not surprisingly, there are several definitions available via the Internet such as: “The degree of assistance and courtesy granted those who patronize the organization.” Or, “Quality of service delivery set by you or your department.” I like these because they follow the basic principle of K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Stupid. Why complicate it? Unlike this head scratcher, “Refers to the identifiable, but sometimes intangible, activities undertaken by a retailer in conjunction with the basic goods and services it sells.”
My point? If you don’t understand the basic premise of providing good customer service, how can you provide it? To provide good customer service start by asking yourself a few questions:
1. Who is my customer?
Every employee in your business should know who uses their products or services and why.
2. How can I help?
What we are talking about here is taking the time to gather information about your customer. Not just as it relates to the products or service you are going to offer them, but as to who they are and what potential problems and issues they face on a daily basis.
3. What is my data telling me?
If you operate a website, encourage customers to complete some type of registration form, or have some type of follow-up program in place, use the data you gather to begin building a picture as to who your customer is. For example, on a website: what webpages are customers regularly visiting? Are there particular products or service pages that are receiving more hits then others? When they contact you, is it by email, phone or some other means? Once you’ve analyzed this information, you’ll begin to have a much better sense of which your customers are, what they’re interested in, and what they need help doing.
With a clear picture as to who your customer is in hand, you can begin to address their needs more effectively. That, in itself, is the foundation to providing good customer service. Large and small organizations alike profess to putting customers first, but the real trick is actually doing it.
