As we set sail on a journey into a new year, I thought it would be fitting if we were reminded of the customer service basics. It's so easy to get caught up in being the "best" or offering "new and improved" products. Oftentimes we get so focused on the bottom line. Next thing you know, your customers have turned into people with dollar signs as heads.
However, you've gone through an "A-ha!" moment. This year you've vowed to get back to the basics of business. You've realized now that customer service is the key to a thriving, fulfilling business.
This month I'll be focusing on the basics of customer service. Call it a month-long seminar: Customer Service 101. Even if you've been in the service industry for 20 years, I think it doesn't hurt to be reminded of the basics.
To get started, I'd like to share a link to Heidi Miller's list of favorite customer service articles from early last month. Heidi is the Social Media Manager of Spoken Communications and she feels that these articles focus on the basics of customer service. I encourage you to drop by and share your thoughts!
Photo Credit: Brenda Starr
Customer Service: Getting Back to the Basics
Posted by Admin | 1/04/2010 | Customer Service Basics | 4 comments »
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Hey Maria,
Your post about customer service reminds me of a past post of mind entitled: "Customers Don't Care About..."
I'm not sure if I ever submitted this to your carnival but I think it's a good read again.
http://soyouwanttobeabanquetmanager.blogspot.com/2009/05/customers-dont-care-about.html
Take care and Happy New Year!
Maria--
Thanks for the link! The more I read about customer service, the more I'm convinced that the basics aren't necessarily intuitive. The customer isn't always right and front line employees aren't always the key to better customer service. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on customer experience in 2010.
Heidi
Heidi,
Now that you mention it, I have to agree that customer service isn't intuitive. I think I was pretty clueless in my first few years of working in a service position. We get brainwashed into thinking that the "bottom line" is the most important thing ;)
Banquest Manager,
Thanks for the reminder! I like this part at the end:
"...we are nothing more than the vehicle that makes the guest happy.."
Maria--
This begs the question, "What is the most important thing?" I vote for one of the following: customer relationships, customer loyalty, customer retention.