Customer service is as much an art as it is a science, sitting somewhere at the nexus of relationship building/maintenance and problem-solving. Important to note as well: Relationships start with giving, and problem-solving begins with understanding. Any issue you’ll confront is simply an interpersonal or business transaction which must be solved by riddling out the best approach to the issue, and the interactions which ensue. Fundamentally, customer service also requires the participation of customers to exist and function as well: Organizations or human beings waiting at the other end of the line, whose situations, stances, and opinions we must all consider on an individual basis. This is not a task that can simply be outsourced, automated or idly dismissed.
What customers really want: Your time and concern. Find ways to share all, and you’ll have figured out the basic building block to providing exceptional service. While putting a human face on your brand, and giving it a confident and consistent voice, can help you cut through a cluttered business landscape, it’s simply a starting point. Every situation should be given careful consideration, as should the customer involved. Your ultimate goal is simply to make it right from the other party’s perspective, noting that “right” will have a different definition depending on each and every customer and context. You and your people, as well as the attitude all take towards approaching these opportunities and challenges, are every bit as important as the tools, technologies, and systems you use to facilitate this process.
To succeed today, a positive and winning attitude towards customer service must be fundamentally built into corporate values and culture. There are many ways to look at a balance sheet: However, the most successful organizations and individuals also understand the value of goodwill and social capital, which traditionally aren’t included in the document. Thanks to the growth of connectivity and globalization, and growing importance being placed on trust and relationships, every modern professional and enterprise has suddenly and exponentially expanded its customer base – a base which now encompasses a wide variety of customers who include colleagues, partners and the public at large.
Catching and retaining others’ attention, let alone inspiring their enduring affection, is getting harder with each passing day. But so too are possible rewards growing by leaps and bounds: Benefits are greatly magnified and multiplied when you provide superior interaction, more personal care and remarkable customer service. Be honest, pay attention to details, and most of all, care about your customer: The most potentially valuable asset you, your brand, or business will ever possess.
