8 Critical Steps to build a Customer Service Culture

8 Critical Steps to build a Customer Service Culture ? Each company? The main activities of their customers, because without customers there is no society? - Erwin FrandDuring our last weakened economy, many companies have falling sales and shrinking budgets. The decline of the budgets often lead to staff reductions and the reduction of services. To me, this is not useful. I think it is in determining the time which should be at the forefront and retention of loyal customers with even more price wars focus.When is not about revenue, service companies, often giving them a competitive advantage. Many large companies are retuing to a seller? Service sold? Mentality, but also a lot of great customer service for the sale and number. The problem is that few have actually served marketing customer.Throughout my years in business, I have the opportunity to interact and develop a philosophy of customer service. It is inherent that when you are in a service business, there will be times when the customer is required to provide their feedback. This is what you are using this feedback, the design of the future and their impression of your reflection business.Upon, most of all interactions with my customers are not angry the result of a bad product, but rather a disappointing experience reviews. Why is this so? After all, it is not personal, it's customer service. In short, let me share with you eight critical steps to establish a customer service culture.1. Customers are the reason for the work, not an interruption of workThis sounds really obvious doesn? T? How many times have you only in a company to wait while someone on the phone, or if you have worked? No service? Task? Employees often lose sight of the importance of the customer and get the lowest daily activities. Sure, there are tasks that need to be, but can not afford to sacrifice to make them happen. Good customer service is a priority for you and your team. Without your customers, there is no business! 2nd Train, train, and continue to train. Cross train the entire workforce in a situation where a client, regardless of their department. If a customer wants to disturb that their problem is not resolved are mixed among workers who are not empowered or enable that support them. Offer continuing education for customers and your staff once they are a good service, continue to train them. Benefits play situations that employees in recognizing and experiencing both easy and difficult service. If an employee has a level of comfort with a difficult situation, they can better manage it.3. Put in a position to serve your employees? Creating a system of resources for your employees to the customer. Width, so that they adopt the necessary measures to ensure the exceptional service should be clarified a dissatisfied customer. Creating a structured system to allow your employees to customers. Establishment of a discretionary budget that an employee may access to recover before losing a customer. I recently leaed that a large hotel chain has a monetary fund for the year per employee, so that goes beyond and to ensure outstanding service. This allows the employee to right a wrong or create a? Unforgettable? The experience of customers. I do not have the memory for a lot of money, but with regard to customer service, a small gesture can be a long jouey. Ask your staff what tools would enable them to provide better service. They do not send firefighters into a buing building without the necessary equipment. Not to empower and enable your employees the tools needed to make your customer leaves you with few options that are not poor service.4. Make personal service? Greet repeat customers by name, if possible. Offer a handshake and look. Creating a service that not only maintain personal customers, but help diffuse difficult situations when they arise. Thanks to your customers for their patronage. It 'really a difference.5. It 'ok to say? Yes?, Even if you say? No? Support your employees when the customer service decisions. In my business, it is my policy that an employee can be made without conce for the impact, as long as it met a client? S need. I found this creates a greater willingness to assist the customer. Often, you might say? No? to a customer, but? no? can be a huge impact on your business. Ask yourself? I am willing to lose 10 potential clients, because of this interaction? 6. A solution? Transition from the problem of the process of dissolution. Offer the possibility to choose between different options. Put yourself in their place. Involve the customer to determine the solution. Clearly that all restrictions exist.7. Recognize your employees for outstanding service? Implementation of a program for Customer Service Awards, which recognizes employees for exceptional customer support. Perhaps you have tried without success and I do not think that work. I would rather, if the program was like most I have ever seen. Try something different, against the form. One of my most successful clients offers spa treatments for his female employees if a customer goes from his way of recognizing their great service. Another client provides its employees with a? Day with pay? Incentives for every five unsolicited, positive comments of customers that he receives. These are just some examples? Outside the box. Be creative and a little 'stress to your employees in customer service. Take the time to recognize the employees at the meetings. People want their own brand and the feeling that they are. Take the time to recognize their colleagues can make a real difference.8. Ask your customers what they think of your serviceThe best way to discover if it is to satisfy customers request them. Formal commitment could be a customer surveys, questionnaires, interviews or comment / suggestion cards. Informally, and talk with your customers and employees. Ask how they feel about the services offered. Ideally, the use of a combination of both methods.You can think? Why should I ask for trouble? Who knows what I could hear when I ask? This is the point. As can be seen in the statistics below, most of their clients are not disappointed with your service levels. They simply leave and never retu. You can ask about the quality of the service, you are wrong and the assumptions that you can hear the levels of service, since it is only a few complaints and lead your company in the fields, tu your customers or cause problems that never . On the other hand, ask your customers about their satisfaction sends a message that you are about your business and about them. While listening to some criticism, you can also find out what you're doing right and see what you should modify.In In addition to the information that you will benefit from interaction. Every interaction is an opportunity for customer service. Make the most of every one of us one.Most continued with citizens and businesses, good service. You can not say, but to reward service providers continue to do business with them. If the service is outstanding, probably say, our friends and colleagues. Similarly, if we vote bad service most of us, not with our voice, but with the feet? We only leave.In by the year 1980? S White House Office of Consumer Affairs, a report called tarp study. The report highlighted the following facts about unhappy customers: 96% of dissatisfied customers do not complain directly.90% will be unhappy customers say retu.One nine others.13% of at least 20 other people Superior customer service is one of the most difficult to be provided benefits to the economy of today. Selling is the easy part, which offers promise offers a tremendous challenge. I ask you, what can be done to improve the service you provide? The implementation of these eight steps and begins to draw to create a superior customer culture today? Anthony Mullins - Elite Coaching Alliance 2005Anthony Mullins is the president and coach for the Elite Coaching Alliance. E 'specializing in the development of leadership skills, business coaching, strategic planning, 1-to-1 coaching, facilitation and inspirational speaking. He is the author of the forthcoming book "Leadership Links." Anthony can be sent via e-mail: anthony@elitecoachingalliance.comVisit its website @