Good service is the expected norm, but in this competitive day and age when customers have a huge choice of where to buy their goods and services, great customer service can really boost business. Going above and beyond expectations should be your aim every single day. We all know that bad customer service is talked about more than good service, but great customer service can also spread, especially if people are encouraged to get in touch via websites and social networking pages.
So how do you go about turning average or good customer service into great customer service? We have some handy hints to help you and your staff ramp up your service levels.
1. Mystery shopping
Send out your staff to be mystery shoppers at competing stores. Let them see first-hand what others are doing and encourage them to take on board the good points and emulate them at work.
2. Get feedback
Find out what your customers really think, and then act on their feedback. Online surveys are easy to create and give a valuable insight into how shoppers interact with your business.
3. Be aware of problems
To improve service you need to understand what is going wrong, and why. Training and coaching sessions and regular staff assessments can help.
4. Get on the floor
Shadow your staff so you can see for yourself how your training and processes are being carried out day-to-day.
5. Focus on customers
How your organisation works on a grass roots level should be focused on customers, not profits or "best practice".
6. Set the standard
Ensure that everyone knows the expected standards and remind them of them regularly through appraisals and feedback meetings. Service, appearance, behaviour etc should be consistent across your entire workforce.
7. Share
Recognise great service and shares these good examples. Employee of the month awards are a great way to do this. Encourage staff and customers to nominate people in the team.
8. Treat staff as you treat customers
Happy staff will be more productive and willing to do well, and this means happy customers. Staff who look bored and fed up generally do not give the best impression, nor the best service. Ensure they feel valued and motivated.
Training and development programmes plus a good benefits and reward system will help. Give positive feedback and reassurance and build a team culture.
9. Set measurable objectives
If you are going to improve service you need to know how you will measure any improvement. An increase in positive feedback, fewer complaints and so on are good indicators.
10. Invest in your staff
Hold regular training sessions, give honest appraisals and encourage them to share their experiences with colleagues. Show them that they are an important part of the organisation.
This article is to help local businesses improve their service department. There are a few other ways to improve customer service so subscribe today for more updates
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