Good Customer Service Starts With A CRM Strategy
Do you focus on your needs, or do you focus on your customers needs?
Sometimes I wonder if companies actually have a plan for customer service. Sure, I see rooms full of customer service reps at my client sites, all chattering away, and with different levels of personal experience. But are they following a plan other than their own? And is that plan derived from an overall CRM strategy?
Before you begin realigning work flows, you should have a good understanding of what you are trying to accomplish. If your customer service department has a good track record, it will help you gather information about customers that will help them, as well as other customer facing areas incorporated into your CRM strategy.
CRM can incorporate a number of areas of your business into the plan. But, customer service is one that should never be left out; after all, it’s customer facing. The resources you have here have dealt with the the good, the bad and the ugly as it relates to your customers’ experiences. You need to make sure the manager of this unit and one or two strong staff level representatives are on your CRM Strategy team.
Keys to Good Customer Service
A sales organization that resorts to discounts to achieve short term goals could be hurting your business. This effort is an indication of low customer loyalty. What they’re doing is swapping out long term loyalty for short term satisfaction. Business owners should be looking for longer term results even though it feels good to have short term wins. Think about your customers feelings. Are they going to recommend your business, or will have to keep working hard for each sale?
You can find a number of opinions on the keys to good customer service. Here’s a simple list that will help. Just keep in mind that you need to develop your own set of guidelines as the relate to your business, your customers and your customer facing operations:
* Always be truthful – There is nothing worse than trying to get through an uncomfortable situation by lying. That includes making promises you can’t keep. You’re gonna get caught. Maybe not on this call, but when they find out, they will no longer be your advocate, or your customer
* Make an extra effort – While it may not seem profitable in the short run, we’re thinking long term here aren’t we? Short term relationships are not profitable.
* Be there when they need you – That means answering the phone, responding to emails, whatever. If they have to wait too long, they’re gone…
* Listen! – Shut your trap and listen to what your customer is telling you. Sometimes that means reading between the lines
* An upset customer needs to vent – Listen even more closely when they are upset. Don’t talk over them. They will calm themselves down by talking or screaming. It’s easier to ask them how you can help once they’ve calmed down.
If keeping customers happy is important to you, adding good service to the CRM mix is something you cannot overlook.
