It’s been said, ‘you can’t please all the people, all the time.’ That’s especially true when it comes to customer service. Since people come to your business for different reasons, with different backgrounds, expectations, and attitudes, there’s no possible way to please everyone all the time, but you can increase your chances.
Cookie Cutter Customer Service Won’t…Cut it
It’s wise to create an overall plan for customer service. Policies that set a general tone for the customer experience are an important safeguard against disgruntled and dissatisfied customers, but one plan won’t fit every situation.
Rather than approach every customer service experience the same way, it’s important to look for unique ways to support customers individually when possible. What works for one customer or one situation may not work with someone else.
Start With the Basics
Having a baseline customer service plan is an important place to begin. What methods will you use to boost customer service? Will services be face-to-face or automated? Who is authorized to trouble shoot or attend to customer needs? What standards do you want for your business when engaging customers?
Having a solid starting-off point for customer service can help create a consistent experience for everyone and reduce the chances of a negative experience.
Learn to Read Between the Lines
Customer service management requires savvy. Since most communication is non-verbal, being able to read cues can give you an advantage. While one customer may desire a high level of engagement, another could be turned off by too much attention. An unhappy customer could be won over by a good faith gesture to earn their business back, while another could expect you to jump through hoops. Being able to assess and deliver a unique experience is a valuable skill set.
Allow Room for Options
Having consistent expectations for what your business provides before, during and after the sale should be a starting off point. From there, it’s important to have options. Allow yourself and your team the opportunity to create an experience that is a unique fit for the situation whenever possible.
Create Standards and Hold Your Boundaries
Your customer service standards will evolve over time and are based on the specific experiences you have within your business. Perhaps you’ll discover flaws in your policies and procedures or become aware of customer expectations you hadn’t considered. In these instances, being attentive to customer needs can help make your business stronger. However, in some cases you’ll discover customers who push past what’s reasonable which creates the need for boundaries. Be willing and able to confidently hold to whatever standards you find best for your business and without feeling forced to compromise.
