Most companies are good at talking about putting the customer first. But few know how to consistently behave in a truly customer-centric way.
Too often they are more concerned with operations and financials than customer service. And yet we have learned that if you design a customer service strategy that fosters true loyalty and engagement with customers, you can gain a powerful and lasting competitive edge.
For example, a few years ago I had issues with two pieces of winter sports gear from two top brands. First, the sole of my lightly-used and two-year-old $175 North Face hiking boots ripped off while out in the snow. Second, my heavily-used seven-year-old $450 Patagonia ski pants lost their waterproof qualities. I took both items back. The North Face store told me that, regardless of how much I wore them, things wear out over time, and I should buy a new pair. Not a great customer experience. Next I went to the Patagonia store. They quickly told me that their gear is guaranteed for life, took my old ski pants and told me to go select a new pair off the rack. Since then, I have never purchased another North Face item and religiously buy and recommend Patagonia products. A great customer experience.
If you are serious about growing and retaining your customer base, then you should pay attention to these guidelines:
- Hire only those who share your value of focusing on the customer first.
- Train and coach your customer service staff in soft skills over and above technical and product skills so they know how to build authentic relationships and listen for known and unknown customer needs.
- Give your staff the authority to directly solve customer problems creatively and on their own so they are empowered to help the customer on the spot.
- Model the behavior that puts people first…your employees as well as your customers.
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