Good customer service is the oil that allows your business to function properly. But delivering a consistently superior customer service experience does much more. It provides an unbeatable competitive advantage, no matter what industry you’re in. To gain a better understanding of why customer experience management (CEM) is so essential, I’ve comprised a list of four reasons that will catapult customer service to the top of your to-do list.
Staying Power
Customers will always remember if your customer service was horrible, mediocre, or great. I’m sure you can think back to a time where you experienced stellar customer service and terrible customer service. These memories are as colorful as they are because your customers are actively interacting with your company representatives. If the interaction is good, the customer remembers it as such. If the interaction goes poorly, you risk losing a customer.
It Leaves a Mark
Like a scar, good customer service never fades. Additionally, if you have good customer service, people naturally assume you have good products. The same goes for bad customer service. Entering the mind of a consumer is critical to understanding how your business is perceived. Good customer service helps to ensure that the perception is positive.
The Customer Comes First
An all-around approach that caters to the customer will ensure your business will operate at peak efficiency and be thought of positively. Part of this approach includes putting the customer first. Without customers, your business wouldn’t have cash flow, so it makes sense to prioritize this. Make sure that customers always have the option to reach a live representative and that questions are answered completely. If your customers are happy, your business will thrive.
Go to Market
From a business standpoint, good customer service is an advantageous marketing angle. A corporate commitment to providing consistently superior customer service is a strategic decision that becomes part of your organization’s DNA. It pays off in improved customer acquisition, retention, growth and win-back – what I call The Big 4. In today’s digital age, effective marketing is key in attracting business, and that’s why so many marketers are emphasizing their company’s excellence in CEM. After all, customer reviews and testimonials are the best and most credible methods of promotion.
There are many other reasons why customer service excellence is vital to the overall health of your business. A little service goes a long way. Be engaged with your customers and don’t simply meet their expectations— continuously exceed them. Make your customer service excellence part of your corporate DNA and your business will surely reap the rewards.
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Anthony Santilli is the Chief Customer Officer of Omega Management Group Corp., which specializes in helping organizations maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty by implementing a CEMDNA Playbook Strategy. Omega created the NorthFace ScoreBoard AwardSM for recognizing excellence in customer satisfaction and loyalty, and also produces the annual SCORE Conference for customer service executives.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
