Frankly I am getting bored with companies who say they deliver 100% outstanding customer service. Sorry, but they are looking at their own bellybuttons and not focusing on what their customers really think. No one delivers anything, perfectly, 100% of the time. Everyday I read articles and blogs that point out the terrible state of customer service around the world. Start a conversation with anyone about one of your bad experiences with customer service and I guarantee that someone else will try to "do one better"!

In order to develop a "contagious customer service atmosphere", a company has to focus on every "touchpoint" that the customer comes in contact with that company. How the phone is answered, the ease of getting to the location, whether a physical structure or even a website, the exterior of the building, the parking lot, the entrance, the employees, the merchandise or set up of the office, and finally the ease of doing business. All of these "touchpoints" contribute to the customer's mental report card that they make of you and your business. Where the problem arises is that the report card is rarely shared with the business, it is shared with everyone they can tell. Today that negative marketing reaches millions with just a few key strokes and a listing on a blog. Now that is contagious.

If you want to create a positive contagious customer service you need to develop a style that will make your customer say "O" what great customer service, and then be willing to spread that information to everyone they know.

Let's look at three classifications of "O" customer service.

1. Ordinary Customer Service:

This is probably the most popular type of customer service that we all experience. Employees do the job they are trained to do. They try to be efficient and take care of you as quickly as they can. If they smile, that is an extra. If they go out of their way to do anything else than handle your request, that is really an extra. Employers or managers and just happy that the employee shows up for work, doesn't steal from them and makes as few mistakes as possible. I would guess that there is little or no follow-up on their progress as an employee other than a yearly review. Training may also be at a "bare minimum" and used mostly upon hiring.

What does that mean for the customer? That they don't receive anything out of the ordinary nor do they feel compelled to tell anyone else.

2. Ouch Customer Service:

We have all experienced this type of customer service. The employee is "merely doing their job" but their attitude or lack of knowledge or flexibility causes a negative reaction with the customer and the customer vows never to do business with that company again. We have all been a "lost" customer at some point. Unfortunately it translates into a loss of revenue for the business because people love to tell customer service "horror stories" to everyone they know. Statistics have said that we tell an average of a dozen people when we have had bad service. That number is insignificant now with the ability of posting negative comments on blogs and websites.

"Ouch" customer service not only hurts the customer, it hurts the business as well.

3. "Oh" Customer Service:

I believe to get the customer to say "Oh"; you have to do something unusual and different! However, considering the level of service most companies offer, being unusual could mean a friendly face, a knowledgeable employee and a person that would go out of their way to sincerely make the customer satisfied. Here are a few things that will help your "OH" factor and increase your contagiousness in the marketplace that I recently read from Elliott and Company.

1)Greet every customer with a genuine smile when they enter.

2)Make it personal. Get to know your client's names, likes, and dislikes.

3)Give your customers the freedom to explore. Don't smother them the second they get in the store. Let the customer discover unique products without feeling hassled.

4)Focus on introducing and informing the customer on new products, rather than selling.

5)Wrap absolutely everything for free.

6)Accept returns for refund or credit with grace.

7)Offer free local delivery of all oversize merchandise.

8)Find ways to thank your clients for shopping with you. Offer extra services like customized gift baskets, or offer home consultation for a fee, and then waive the fee with a minimum purchase.

If you think about it, I am sure you could add another dozen things to this list. The most important thing to remember is consistency. These tips can't just be used at the holidays, or when there is a grand opening, or the first few days after attending a training program.
These are small, simple, mannerly techniques that can turn into large rewards through your customer's contagious marketing of your "OH" customer service1.

About the author:

Anne M. Obarski is The "Eye" on Performance!"   As a professional speaker and trainer, Anne will work with your company to develop profit building strategies to keep your customers coming back.  Anne presents keynotes, break-out sessions and customized training, in the area of customer service. For more info go to:  http://www.merchandiseconcepts.com or email Anne at anne@merchandiseconcepts.com To receive her monthly ezine, Customer Service Magnified, log on to http://merchandiseconcepts.com and you'll receive more great articles like this one. For high resolution photo of Anne, please visit www.merchandiseconcepts.com/annephoto.html 


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