Customer service and productivity

Ronald Mason, Contributor

Every economic enterprise is organised to provide goods and services. They have identified a need and seek to fill the expectation of those they wish to severe.

One of the foundations on which the enterprise can hope to build and grow is good customer service. The ACA Group offered the following: Customer service is an integral part of our job and should not be seen as an extension of it. A company's most vital asset is its customers. Without them, we would not and could not exist in business.

Customer service is further defined as the ability of an organisation to constantly and consistently exceed the expectation of the customer. When you satisfy the customers, they not only help the organisation to grow by continuing to carry on business with you, but recommend you to friends and associates.

The absence of good customer service will inevitably lead to low productivity, as the employees display and act with nonchalance and even indolence. This acts as a turn-off for potential customers and collectively this has negative impact on the national economy.

Think about some of our utility companies. Has any customer ever had the utility company acknowledge that what has been identified as the source of your complaint was actually their fault? One can regularly expect the representative to repeat the same non-communicative mantra, scramble for cover behind "the supervisor is not available", or conveniently have an electronic malfunction, resulting in a terminated call.

Productivity terminal

Let's follow the service to the productivity terminal. The customer is unable to plan for lack of specific information. Then the 'wait'. Interminable, as customers hope, pray, crave even, for the return of the product supplied by the utility. Downtime equals loss of revenue. At the end of a fixed period, the cost is reflected as lost revenue for the customer. For the utility, it is just another work period. Standard operating procedure.

Let us transpose the lack of customer service to a retail enterprise. On entering the business place, the customer is not greeted but must wait until the employees (a) finish eating, (b) terminate a telephone conversation, (c) return from an earlier planned trip to the restroom, or (d) condescend to greet you with "Wha' yuh want."

Ask for the assistance with the purchase of a shirt. "Check over deh suh." Never let me accompany you to that section or alert the staff from that department as to the entrance of a prospective customer. Contrast that with what would take place if you were greeted on entrance and engaged in an exchange that could lead to the sale of two shirts. Lost opportunity to increase productivity at that stage of the production chain.

I refuse to comment on government departments, as they almost invariable induce heartburn and other maladies that can only be massaged by graft.

Susan A. Friedman, a marketing guru, has compiled the 'Commandments of Customer Service'. Here are some of them.

• Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays your salary and makes your job possible.
• Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and, most important, how they feel.
• Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to who else we could be selling to.
• Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
• Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance. On the show floor, be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.

CUSTOMER UNDERSTANDING

• Help customers understand your systems. Your organisation may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organisation.
• Appreciate the power of 'yes'. Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable), tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.
• The adoption of the principles of good customer service has a direct link to increased demand for goods and services, hence increased productivity.
• Know how to apologise. When something goes wrong, apologise. It's easy, and customers like it.

Ronald Mason is an immigration attorney/mediator. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and nationsagenda@gmail.com.