Each year there is a weekly focus on Customer Service across the UK.

Should we be re-setting currently, as there appears far more 'very average' and 'poor' delivery happening, rather than very good and excellent service .... but are we surprised?

As a result of the Pandemic strains and stresses on daily life, we're seeing a mixture ranging from insecurity/anxiety, through to 'jobs worth' military implementation. For those suppliers doing very well....you can detect in some, an unfortunate dose of arrogance and complacency, when they are so busy, 'being busy.' Sometimes this 'being too busy' has been put upon teams from the impacts of furlough, remote technology or general downsizing and of course.... customers are suffering.

But thankfully there are still thousands and thousands of customer focussed ambassadors, working hard and with great skills to help inform, educate, and to support and to sell more.

However, is this a reducing minority?

Now more than ever, we need it to be a growing element of help, knowledge, guidance and sales.

5 Themes this National Customer Service week, and we've given some 'easy read points' to the issues

Insight:

Measuring, analysing, and understanding how your customer groups feel about buying from you.

The saying 'you can't manage what you cant measure' fits perfectly in Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX). Data gathering through well written Surveys, Focus Groups or Mystery Client reports can give you phenomenal data about how customers feel, and what they really need or want.

Capability & Skills:

In your training analysis of your team or departments, who are the real ‘customer champions’ who excel, and why? How can this be spread wider, to build into all members of the team, from factory, distribution, accounts, operations....not just marketing and sales.

Recognition:

Spotlight the people who are great exemplars to others. Replicate through encouragement and motivation. Reward where you can, and this does not have to be big value gifts or bonuses. Recognise all interactions. Online | On phone | On site.

Leadership:

Customer Excellence has to come from the board, or owners. Get the teams to help set the standards needed. Dive into the issues that cost downtime, and dissatisfaction or lost customers, and just 'set it', as a high priority and a KPI. Process and Productivity go hand in hand. CX should be a core marketing strand within your Marketing Mix.

Trust, Ethics & Sustainability: 

Get famous for Customer focussed actions in your sector. Don’t be great….be remarkable. Use it as a badge of differentiation. Use it to characterise your firm or brand, as the company or supplier to be relied on. Use it as your clear and defined 'competitive advantage.'

At Customer Journey, we just love to be with staff teams, motivating and inspiring an upward move to even greater levels of customer excellence. We assist in developing team goals with purpose!

We support company teams, sometimes with an initial overview seminar, with lower participation to scope opportunity & direction, through to a tailored 'Customer 2020's Vision' development programme.

The Goals are always very similar:

Improved retention and feedback scores + Improved conversion rates......through 'remarkable' customer engagement skills.