We have all experienced varying degrees of attention and care as customers. Being served in restaurants, shops or over the phone are all areas where we can relate to how it feels as a customer.
We have all had to wait on hold or open an appliance to find the batteries missing or attempt to follow poorly written instructions. We know what it feels like to not have our expectations met.
If we are emotionally aware we may be able to manage our thoughts and feelings and work to get the outcome we want. However, if we are the customer the onus is upon the person or organisation serving us to provide us with a great customer experience. That means making it easy for us to do business with them.
Jan Carlzon, one time President of Scandinavian Airlines, famously reversed its fortunes by concentrating on improving service delivery, from a customer perspective. He coined the phrase ‘moments of truth’ where the customer’s perception of the service they receive is heightened. By focusing on key points in the customer journey and correcting areas where customer expectations weren’t met or where there were service failures, he dramatically increased customer satisfaction and revenues.
We know that when we as customers form an opinion of a supplier, in the front of our minds will be our direct experience of our purchase and how well the product or service met our expectations.
It is likely we will think about our moments of truth and ask ourselves:
– “Did it arrive in good time?”
– “What was the packaging like?”
– “Does the product look good?”
– “Does it work?”
– “How did the company relate to me, as a customer, especially when I had an enquiry or a problem?”
The lesson here for those managing contact centres is to ensure that staff are properly trained and that business processes, production and the supply chain all work effectively. In terms of any customer interaction, regardless of the channel, companies should be evaluating :
Was the agent/representative polite and friendly?
– Did they take ownership of the query?
– Did they do what they said they would do?
– Did they ensure that the customer received what they wanted or needed?
If there are failings in any area they should be addressed promptly and effectively through staff coaching and training.
Additional Information
S
teve Shellabear is Managing Director at dancing lion Training & Consultancy
Dancing lion’s training programmes can be tailored to your company requirements and delivered by experienced trainers at your centre or a local venue.
To learn more contact on Dancing Lion visit their Website, email
