Improving The Customer Experience

Copyright © 2023 by Ty Howard.   All rights reserved.

We are in the age of demand for consistent, exceptional service. Organizations that develop a culture of extraordinary customer service experiences and happy relationship retention will be the winners.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected customer service in several ways. Due to business closures, reduced operations, and personnel shortages, customers have experienced frustration and dissatisfaction with the service they receive. Long wait times, delayed email responses, unreturned phone calls, rude interactions, lack of empathy, and limited managers or support staff availability have all contributed to declining customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the shift to hybrid/remote work has made it challenging for businesses to offer the same personalized service they once provided. In many companies, customer service has mutated into high on-edge emotional customer engagements with low levels of mindfulness or accountability, and this has profoundly impacted the potential for quality customer service for all. It may take some time for businesses struggling with the customer experience to fully recover and begin delivering consistent extraordinary service at all levels.

"Put all excuses aside and remember this: YOU are capable." ~ Zig Ziglar

Improving the customer experience is vital for any business that wants to continuously succeed, retain and grow healthy customer relationships today. There are many ways to reach this goal, but combining the following methods would be a good starting point:

Start with a ‘Want to Win’ Attitude

When it comes to quality customer service, having the right attitude is crucial. As a customer, I appreciate being greeted with a friendly smile and a willingness to help. It makes me feel valued and important. So, as someone providing customer service, it's important to remember that your attitude can make or break a customer's experience. Always strive to be helpful, patient, and understanding. Put yourself in the customer's shoes and think about how you would want to be treated. With a 'Want to Win' Attitude, you can positively impact someone's day and leave a lasting extraordinary customer experience impression.

Train and Refrain

It is important to ensure that all employees are trained to provide extraordinary customer service experiences. This includes refraining from negative customer service habits such as speaking rudely or dismissively to customers, ignoring their concerns, not using effective listening skills, or failing to follow up on issues in a timely manner. Your business can build strong customer relationships and improve customer outcomes and bottom line by prioritizing excellent customer service and providing ongoing training and support.

Assess and Refresh

It's always a good idea to assess and refresh your current customer service practices to ensure that you're meeting and exceeding your customers' needs and providing the best possible experience. Start by collecting feedback from your customers through surveys, social media, and other channels to get a sense of what they think of your current practices. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement and develop a plan for addressing them.

Ensure your customer service team is equipped with the tools and resources they need to do their jobs effectively. This might include providing additional training or coaching, updating your knowledge base, or investing in new customer service software. By regularly assessing and refreshing your customer service practices, you can ensure that you and your team members provide the best possible experience for your customers and build strong, long-lasting relationships with them.

Reach the Point of Extraordinary

I recently visited a Chick-fil-A restaurant and was blown away by their exceptional customer service. The employees were friendly and welcoming and went above and beyond to ensure I had a great experience. They even checked on me multiple times during my meal to ensure everything was satisfactory. This level of customer service is truly remarkable and sets Chick-fil-A apart from other fast-food chains. I will definitely be returning to Chick-fil-A in the future and highly recommend it to others.

Any business can do a few key things to reach the point of extraordinary customer service. First and foremost, treating your customers with respect and empathy is important. This means listening carefully to their concerns and doing everything you can to address them promptly and effectively. Additionally, it's essential to go above and beyond to provide quality products and services. This can mean offering additional support, providing personalized recommendations, or simply going the extra two miles to ensure each customer is delighted with their experience. By prioritizing the needs and desires of your customers, you can create an extraordinary customer service experience that will keep them coming back time and time again.

Sustain What Matters Most to Everyone

When it comes to the customer experience, meeting the needs and expectations of customers is vital. External and internal customers want to feel valued and respected, and addressing their concerns promptly and efficiently is always beneficial. Providing personalized solutions and surpassing their expectations can also make a significant impact.

To sustain what matters most to everyone, ongoingly invest in employee customer service training and development. Encourage and empower employees at all levels, to work daily to maintain a positive company customer service reputation. Each team member must learn to care a whole lot about – consistent – quality customer service. Use a customer-centric approach that prioritizes empathy, communication, effective listening, mindfulness, professionalism, and accountability throughout the organization.

Reminder: We are in the age of demand for consistent, exceptional service. Organizations that develop a culture of extraordinary customer service experiences and happy relationship retention will be the winners.

Are you currently working on any particular initiatives to enhance the customer experience? Put your team and organization's customer service culture on a path to cultivating enduring winning relationships with highly-satisfied external and internal customers. If your team, department, or organization needs guidance, recommendations, or professional development training, do not hesitate to contact me. I am always here to assist in any way I can.

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About the Author: Ty Howard, Mr. Untie the Knots®,
Organizational Development Consultant, Executive and Leadership Development Coach,
Freeing Maximal Business, Performance, and Human Potential Daily

Ty Howard is an internationally recognized authority on organizational and managerial practices that optimize leadership and employee performance, and company-wide results and success. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked "Untie the Knots® Optimal Performance Process," and the author of Untie the Knots®: Improving Habits, Choices, People, Relationships, Performance and Results, as well as dozens of published articles on employee and organizational performance and development worldwide. For information on his programs and services, visit: http://www.tyhoward.com.

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