Sometimes companies forget that, over time, their existing customers become more knowledgeable about competitors' offerings. Thus, buyers need to be continually resold on the company and the products and services it offers.

STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR COMPANY'S

 CUSTOMER SERVICE CAPABILITY

Companies are continuously striving to find new  ways to maximize the  value of their customer base. “Value”  is understood as the  discounted margin  from the  revenues of all customers during their lifetime  with the  company. It can be increased by acquiring  new  customers and/or expanding the  worth  of existing  ones. As markets become more  mature, gaining new  customers at reasonable acquisition costs becomes increasingly  difficult.

 Therefore companies concentrate their efforts on establishing stable and long-lasting  relationships with existing  customers. Sometimes companies forget that, over time, their existing customers become more knowledgeable about competitors' offerings. Thus, buyers need to be continually resold on the company and the products and services it offers

1.    Decide which types of customers (and which product/market areas) to focus on initially. Do not take on more areas than your organization can realistically handle at once.

2.    Assess and analyze your organization's current internal capabilities with regard to the six supports. Start meeting with executives/managers, then appropriately involve customers, suppliers, and employees in assessing what's working and what needs improvement within your organization.

3.    Get the right high-leverage people in the room to come to a reasonable consensus on analyses and plans. This works to build employee commitment to your improvement efforts. Keep minutes of all meetings to log and keep track of efforts and commitments (stuff written on paper gets more attention than stuff said into the air).

4.    Fully understand what currently makes your company's customer service strong. Reinforcing and building on these positive capabilities generates positive motivation.

5.    Prioritize areas for improvement, i.e., where the greatest needs are for improved customer service. If appropriate, simply take an executive or manager vote on necessary short-term and long-term initiatives.

6.    Solicit improvement ideas from all appropriate staff. They can be a wealth of ideas.

7.    Implement easiest improvements first. Focus on areas where smallest time, money and energy investment will achieve the greatest customer and company returns. Don't bite off more than your company can chew at once. Build your muscles for the more strenuous efforts.

8.    Eventually involve all staff in improvement efforts, and teach them skills in data gathering/analysis, problem solving and solution implementation. Educate and help your employees to help your organization.

9.    Measure the results of the changes being instituted in terms of internal productivity/efficiency, and external quality/service to customers. Tracking results help you learn about your business, and lets you know if your efforts are making a difference.

10.Shift focus as priorities change. Keeping your focus on what are the next things to do keeps the      long customer service improvement voyage more manageable and endurable.

11.If you need help, get it. Look to business colleagues, advisors, books or competent consultants to help you along the way.

11.Don’t Make Promises Unless You Intend to Keep Them

Reliability is crucial to any good relationship and good customer service is no exception. Think before you make promises – because nothing annoys customers more than a broken one.

12. Deal with Complaints

No one likes hearing complaints, so it’s little wonder why many hate when folks complain. Deal with customer complaints maturely and you will reap the benefits of good customer service.

13. Be Helpful – Even if There’s No Immediate Profit

Be open to being helpful at all times. Do not be nice only when there’s a reward in it for you. Helping your clients, even when they least expect it, will impress them and build their trust in you.

14.Take the Extra Step

If you want to provide good customer service, go beyond what your clients want. Going the extra mile surely adds a sense of satisfaction.

15. Stay Loyal

Loyalty is key to attracting new customers. When your existing customers know that you are loyal, they hold nothing back when it comes to introducing new customers to you and your business. This is marketing that is done passively for you.

16. Introduce Promotions

In a bid to get your customers glued to your brand, introducing mouth watering promotions can act like magic. Promotions that provide true savings and value causes current customers to introduce others to you and your business in an effort to pass those savings along.

17. Throw a Party

Here’s a thought. Why not throw parties for your customers? It’s an opportunity for customers to meet, for you to cultivate relationships with them, for you to gain an understanding of what they want and why they purchased from you, and it builds a sense of community – they might even bring a friend. Lexus, the luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Corporation, has programs such as this in place.

  

18. Keep Them Up to Speed

If the need for you to raise prices occurs, inform your customers in advance. Their feedback will serve as a good measure to know if they welcome the change or not and it also provides them the opportunity to make purchases prior to the price hike.

19. Be Appreciative

Say thank you at all times for your clients’ patronage. Never feel above being thankful.  After all, you are in business because of them.

20. Build Trust

There are various ways in which you can build trust and providing consistent value is one of them. Decide which works best for you and carve a niche around it.

21. Stay in Contact

Encourage customers by staying in touch with them through a blog, newsletter, or some other means that affords ongoing communication. Just ensure that you keep the conversation going

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THE WAY AHEAD:

Improving your company's customer service is a two-pronged approach. Externally, a company needs to decide which customers it needs to initially and subsequently focus on. The business needs to examine what it is doing to generate new customers and what it needs to do to maintain, or effectively prune, existing customers.

Internally, a company needs to figure out what's working and what needs improvement with respect to its key internal supports. Committed leadership is required to keep efforts going despite inevitable pain and adversity, especially in a highly competitive business. Initial efforts need to be targeted, starting small and building momentum. 

Employees and suppliers need to be involved in analyses and actions in order to generate uniform commitment and ensure that improvements stick. Employee competence and confidence needs to be built to sustain your company's advantage over the long haul.Performing all these external and internal efforts proactively and intelligently will generate and ensure long-term success for your business.
Master these items above and before long, you’ll be amazed at how loyal your customers become to your brand.  Never forget that more customers, equals more profit. Therefore you have all the opportunity in the world to increase your customer base by putting in place top notch customer service.