Challenge Your Processes

When it comes to customer service, applying efficiencies and technology to processes can be a dangerously slippery slope. Of course, I completely support the use of technology to be more efficient! The issue lies in the potential to focus solely on internal operations, and not enough on the customer experience. It happens every day, and it irritates and alientates customers.

Your job is to make sure you are always connected with the wants, needs and emotions of your customers. Put yourselves in their shoes. Talk to them about their likes and dislikes. CHANGE what needs to be changed to improve customer service, while creating processes that make your employee's jobs easier and more enjoyable.

Want some examples?

BAD BUT TRUE!

At a corporate-operated Verizon store, a greeter/receptionist asks how they can help you. Then they make you enter your name, phone number and what type of service you need into a touch screen system - only to assign you to a service queue! This process is clearly to make things easier for Verizon - not for their customers.

I like Dillards merchandise, and even their service. But their checkout processes are bizarrely antiquated. For every item you purchase, the clerk manually sticks a little yellow bar code on the price tag. Then they have to scan the price tag and the inventory sticker. It's insanely slow, and it doesn't benefit me - just Dillards' bean counters.

GOOD AND ALSO TRUE

As a new customer at Safeway, I was asked whether I had one of their discount cards. I did not, and really didn't want to take the time to fill out the form at the register to get one. No problem. They gave me a card, along with a form with the card number filled in, and asked me to complete it and drop it off the next time I came into the store. I got my valuable discounts right away, yet was able to fill out the form at my convenience.

My Subaru dealership allows customers to make scheduled service appointments by phone or online. On site, they maintain a perfectly lovely waiting room, complete with Starbucks coffee and high definition flat screen TV's. Yet they are so customer-focused, they also provide chauffeur service to home, office or shopping - or even a free rental vehicle for the day. Obviously, these amenities are an added expense to the dealership, but they recognize that they are important to retaining customer loyalty.

Constantly CHALLENGE YOUR PROCESSES. What worked yesterday may not work any more, because of changing customer expectations. Don't let technology itself drive your processes; it should always be an enabler (in a good way). Be sure your service procedures are really for to serve the customer - not only for ease of your operations. If you're really smart, you can accomplish both.