Customer Service - Winning Customer Experiences

Winning Customer Experiences

Much research has been done on what the makes a winning customer experience. What is it that makes customers come back to your business instead of going to someone else's? If your repeat business is low, what is it that you are doing to drive your customers away? There is a consistent theme that emerges across the research - winning customer experiences are built on consistency. Michael Gerber in his book "The E-Myth Revisited" calls this orchestration. "Orchestration is the glue that holds you fast to your customers' perceptions".

This may seem a glib response to a complex issue, but take a moment to consider it from the customer's viewpoint. When dealing with a business for the first time, the customer probably has no set expectations on what the experience will be like. With your first interaction, you set the standard in the customer's mind. If you set a positive standard, the customer will likely return. The next time they do, the customer will expect the same from you. Fail to deliver, and ultimately you will lose that customer.

So if consistency is the key, how should a business go about ensuring the consistent experience for the customer?

First, start with the end state that you want to create. What experience do you want your customers to have (cheerful, professional or very fast service, friendly, feel valued etc). With this in mind, think about all the ways that your customers interact with your business. Your business may have many touchpoints - telephone, face to face (single or multiple sites), email, web-site, snail mail and so on. Your business needs to be predictable at each touch point, and predictably the same. The customer notices when they get one experience by walking into your shop, and a different experience when they speak to you on the phone.

Achieving consistency comes down to documenting exactly how you want your business to respond in each situation. If it's not documented then how will the people in your business know what you mean? Sure you can tell them, but this process falls over in larger businesses with many employees and multiple sites. You must create systems and procedures that consistently deliver your chosen experience at all levels of your company. With everyone in your business responding the same way, every time, the customer knows exactly what to expect, and can depend on you to provide it each time. Being able to replicate the same (winning) experience for the customer will build your brand and their loyalty.

Megan Tough is a published author, coach, facilitator and speaker. She works with professionals to create sustainable and profitable income streams. Make more money and have less stress! To learn more and to sign up for more FREE tips and articles like these, visit http://www.megantough.com

---

Better Links Directory

Handling Angry Clients

What do you do when your client gets mad at... Read More

Add Value - And Kill Mediocrity in Customer Service

There are two kinds of customer service we all experience... Read More

Sending Mixed Signals Can Send Your Clients Away

I call it the "wave and roll."You walk up to... Read More

Is Your Food Establishment Clean?

Is your restaurant, bar or hotel clean? I mean really... Read More

Why Cant Microsoft Make Soft Packaging?

Why is it that Microsoft wants you to buy its... Read More

Loyal Customers Take Commitment

In today's competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing... Read More

Customers - What They Really Want - 6 Secrets of Customer Service

What customers really want can be divided into two areas.Firstly... Read More

Transforming Disgruntled Customers into Your Biggest Advocates

"I am writing to complain about the widget I bought... Read More

Dont Work with Jerks: How to Recognize a Difficult Client Early

Five minutes into the call I knew this client was... Read More

The Art of Giving Great Service

Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More

How To Build Stellar Client Relationships

Your opportunity to build a stellar client relationship starts with... Read More

4 Tips Toward Overcoming Bad Customer Service

Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not... Read More

How To Use Your Current Customers

Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More

Become a Customer Enthusiasm-Guru!

One thing all successful small business owners have in common... Read More

Stay - Say - Pay

Would you like to have customers that stay with you... Read More

We Got It Wrong: Never Under Promise & Over Deliver

You know how it is, you believe something for so... Read More

Your Career Plan--Think Like A CEO

You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More

Marketing as a Spiritual Practice

"Marketing as a spiritual practice." It sounds contradictory ? how... Read More

Keeping Clients Happy Keeps them Coming Back

Whether you are a seasoned small business professional, or you... Read More

A White Paper: Profiting with Kindness

In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More

Developing A Customer Complaint System

Background The company was experiencing an increase in the number... Read More

More Customers - Watch those Little Things

Two situations, two perfectly acceptable experiences, but in one case,... Read More

Dealing with Difficult People

1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More

Should I Have My Company Mystery Shopped?

I wish I had a nickel for every time someone... Read More

If Everyone Thinks They Give Good Service, Why Do We As Customers Think Its Poor!

First of all let's look at what customer service is... Read More