Customer service: the worst mistakes

In continuation of the topic of customer service.
Claims to the quality of customer service are heard around the world, they are not getting less. At the same time, in every country there are companies whose “established” employees set the highest standards of customer service. In such firms reigns enthusiasm that unites everyone and everything. Of course, they have something to learn. First and foremost, you need to find out the mistakes that are NOT made in such companies. Errors typical of all others. Mistake number 1: the quality of customer service can be improved through training. Organizations working in every imaginable industry invest a lot of money in training that does not produce any positive effect. What is the essence of training? Identify the behaviors to be followed by the company's employees in customer service and ensure that these models are applied in practice. Make "by hook or by crook." Result? At best, customers have the feeling that they communicate with robots, and there is no question of sincerity. In the worst case, to the “robotization” of customer service is added a hidden indignation, rejection, cynicism of the employee. Instead of imposing methods of customer service, the boss can (and should) give employees the opportunity to express their own thoughts on the matter. The best of these ideas should be applied in practice, with the help of a manager. As a result, positive feedback from satisfied customers will be perceived by employees personally, because in this “contentment” they did not take a purely mechanical part, but contributed much more to it. Also, with this approach, there is the effect of the involvement of the whole team in making key decisions, which is extremely positive for the overall motivation of employees. Mistake number 2: low level of service - a consequence of the "demotivation" of employees. The thoughts of managers who are thinking about ways to increase the motivation of their employees are almost always directed in the wrong direction. The cynicism of employees is a direct result of the company's concern only for its own well-being. Organizations in which customer satisfaction is the number one priority are focused on the interests of their customers and society as a whole, but not on their own. The difference is huge. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the reason for the “demotivation” of employees is the limited freedom in customer service. The main constraints of this freedom are corporate norms, which precisely reflect the focus of a company working only for its own interests. In client-oriented companies, corporate culture is structured in such a way that there are almost no limitations in meeting the needs of customers. Moreover, the development of the best models of working with clients is a problem solved by the whole company. Mistake number 3: using customer feedback to identify problems. Often, customer surveys are conducted to understand what employees are doing wrong. Accordingly, the employees themselves perceive such polls as a “witch hunt”, a search for “scapegoats”. Those who set the highest standards of service act differently. 100% different. In such companies, the purpose of conducting a customer survey is to find out what their employees have achieved the best results. Here, managers are constantly looking for "success stories" of their subordinates. The whole team knows their heroes - those who managed to raise the bar even higher. As a result, no one is afraid of repression, usually following customer surveys. Instead of fear, everyone feels part of the winning team, and every victory of any of the workers is celebrated by the whole team. Mistake number 4: encouraging the employee who resolved the crisis situation. This happens all the time: in the process of customer service, there is some kind of collapse, and a responsible employee of the company makes extraordinary efforts to solve the problem. As a result, a grateful client conveys his admiration to the manager, and the employee receives some bonuses as a special encouragement. Mistake? Yes, if the resolution of the crisis is the main, if not the only, way to deserve encouragement. In such cases, problems in servicing are practically welcomed by the staff, because by solving these problems, they “earn points.” If the resolution of the crisis is perceived by the performers as an opportunity to show themselves, attempts to eliminate the causes of the problems will not be met with approval. Companies that practice top-level customer service also encourage employees who have found a way out of a difficult situation. But in such companies, those who do their work “without a hitch, without a hitch” are encouraged. Therefore, here the process optimization proposals are always perceived with enthusiasm, and the best of them are implemented. Mistake number 5: price competition . This is the most common (and most expensive) mistake you can make. Price becomes a decisive argument in making decisions when all other factors are identical. But the fact is that all other factors are almost never identical. Competition takes place at the level of value, not value. And the value (goods, services) is formed by the general impression of the client, received from working with the company. Here among such competitive advantages are such concepts as “utility”, “friendliness”, “personal approach”. Having these and similar advantages, companies can easily take a few more competitors for their products / services. A focus on the interests of the client gives these companies the best benefits. Paul Levesque : author of books on focusing the company's activities on the client, consultant. Paul has been working in this field for more than twenty years .
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