What’s the relationship between Customer Service and Leadership? I firmly believe that as a Leader at any level of an organisation you have responsibility for setting the standards of customer service that your part of an organisation will deliver. As a role model for your team, whether it’s internal or external customers the way you deal with your customers will set the standard that your team will deliver against.
Customer satisfaction should be the number one priority of any business. It can make a huge difference to the bottom line. As a leader you have a responsibility for training your team members to ensure that they are always striving to increase your customers’ satisfaction and building a good relationship with the customers.
15 Ways to Increase Customer Satisfaction:
So how exactly do you ensure that they are always striving to improve the levels of customer service that your clients are receiving? The following suggestions of benchmarks that you and your team can measure and monitor yourselves against might help you to achieve your goal.
- Listen to what they have to say. Some will just need to rant, even if they are in the wrong. Don’t take it personally and always respond in a professional manner. Others may have a valid point and need to know someone is actually listening to them.
- Don’t refer the person to someone else. No one likes to get the run around and be shoved off onto someone else. Get the answers the client needs as quickly as possible.
- Keep your promises. Only agree to what you can actually deliver. Telling the client you can deliver more than you can not only stresses you but you lose the customer’s trust.
- On the other hand, under-promise and over-deliver whenever possible.
- Be courteous. Thank your customer for their business. Let them talk without interrupting.
- Develop personal relationships with your clients. Treat each one as if he’s your most important client, even if he is your cheapest.
- Anticipate their needs. Go the extra step and be ahead of them.
- Apologize if you are wrong or make a mistake. Everyone makes them.
- Respond quickly to communications. One working day turnaround time should be top priority for all customer inquiries.
- Be honest. If a requested deadline can’t be met let your client know before you take their order.
- Keep in touch with the customer. Follow-up with a postcard, an email or a simple thank you phone call.
- Ask for feedback from your customers. They will give you information to help you improve your customer service and your business reputation.
- Listen to what your unsatisfied customers have to say. Act on their advice if it is the right thing to do.
- Smile. Be happy and courteous. Never answer the phone, a text or email when you’re angry. Before you pick up the phone or keyboard, paste a smile on your face and in your voice.
- Throw away your scripts. People want to hear from real people who treat them like individuals. Each situation is different so you shouldn’t have a prewritten script that won’t fit everyone.
Customer satisfaction is one of the most important parts of any business. Learning how to deal with your customers the right way will increase your customer satisfaction, build a community that trusts you and lead to a bigger bottom line. The standards you set and agree with your team as their leader in terms of customer service could also form the basis of your relationship with your team couldn’t they? Customer Service and Leadership go hand in hand. What do you need to do to make you and your team more effective?