Is your business or department "customer friendly?" Do you make it easy for your customers to do business with you rather than make them follow certain procedures that are for your convenience?
And the same holds true for departments serving only internal customers like IT, Facilities, Accounting, Payroll and others. Are your forms and procedures designed for your convenience, rather than the customers? Are employees as friendly to their co-workers as they are to outside clients and customers?
Do you deliver the five things that all customers want from you every customer every time? Rate yourself and your organization.
____ We make our customers feel welcome with friendly greetings both in person and on the telephone. They can hear a smile in our voice. Or, do you consider them an interruption in your day? If you have ever heard yourself say, "I hope that phone would stop ringing!" you may be guilty of that.
____ We make our customers feel listened to and understood. We can "feel their pain" and are empathetic when they are upset. We make sure we listen for the feelings that the customer is communicating as well as the facts.
____ We make our customers feel important by being responsive to their needs, learning their names or something personal about them, and serving them promptly. We make sure our policies and procedures are "customer friendly."
____ We make our customers feel comfortable that they are going to receive excellent service by being reliable. We do what we say we will do, when we say we will do it, and follow up. And we get it right the first time!
____ We keep our customers informed by letting them know when we will not be able to deliver on what we have promised or if something is running late.
So how would you rate your organization? Do you make it easy to do business with you, and do you constantly ask your customers how you are doing in that regard? If you do, it will help give you a reputation fro delivering superior service.
If your organization could use a customer service refresher, give me a call or email. I can develop a program just for you.
