Fostering a Customer Service Culture
Posted by Meredith Estep on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 @ 03:46 PM
Companies that provide superior customer service usually make that priority a part of their daily existence. Everyone in the company knows that the customer comes first, starting from the CEO to the staff on the front lines. This is called creating a customer service culture, which permeates into everything the company says and does. It is embedded in the corporate mission statement and in every staff meeting and training session.
Consider these ways to foster a customer service culture in your own business that puts the customer first and foremost every single day.
Building a Customer Service Culture
To be effective, a customer service culture must be:
• Intentional – The culture must be created, beginning with the corporate mission statement.
• Consistent – Customer service must be emphasized regularly through daily tasks, staff meetings and training sessions.
• Measured – Standards for customer service must be set in place that are easy to understand, follow and objectively assess.
These three characteristics show that a successful customer service culture begins at the top and trickles down. If upper management does not make the customer the priority, the rest of management and staff will not either.
Creating a Culture
A customer service culture is first created in a mission statement. This statement should include the fact that the customer is the top priority of the business, and the statement should be posted in a prominent location for all the staff to see. Whenever a new issue arises, the corporate mission must be referred to when coming up with a solution to the issue. This keeps customer service at the forefront in everything a company does.
Maintaining a Culture
Once the mission is in place, the procedures that follow must back up the customer service culture. This includes ongoing training sessions to teach employees how to provide superior customer service.
Keep in mind that employees may only be able to process basic customer service techniques at the beginning, especially when they are first learning their job. As they become more experienced working with customers, they may benefit from specific training, such as dealing with angry customers or learning how to get customer feedback.
Measuring a Culture
Specific, measurable standards allow management to assess the level of customer service within the company periodically. Measurements should include face-to-face meetings, phone calls and electronic contact. Standards should be precise and measurable, such as the number of phone calls it takes to satisfy a customer's concerns or how long a customer has to wait for service.
Establishing a customer service culture provides training, measurability and accountability to all employees. When it is clear that the entire company puts customers first, superior service is sure to follow.
- Meredith Estep