Customer Service 101

A recent Yankelovich study ("Consumers in Control: Customer Service in the Age of Empowerment") confirmed what most people already know: consumers are growing increasingly frustrated with a lack of good service. A few stats from the study:

• 82% said it was important to speak with a live person; 27% indicated they would be willing to pay more for one
• 71% would walk out of a store with poor service even if it offered exactly what they were seeking
• 66% believe businesses care more about selling their existing products than adapting to their customers specific lifestyles

Customers don't want to give you their service; they want you to earn it. Dissatisfied customers tell a lot more people about their experience than satisfied ones. And with the internet, their voices are now a lot louder. Just do a search for "comcast sucks" and see what comes up. Watchdog sites like Consumerist field and compile complaints all day. No amount of shiny advertising can make up for a customer experience that falls short. And brands can no longer hide behind a reputation forged by longevity and lack of options.

Make it easy for the customer

Customer service starts the moment a consumer enters your retail environment. They should feel welcome when they enter. Think about the best retail experiences you have had. Chances are you walked away learning something new, and you didn't have to stand awkwardly trying to flag someone down. I can't even count the number of times I have walked out of a store after waiting for service. Employees should be accessible and knowledgeable. And unless the customer feels like they are making an informed decision, they will be leaving without buying.

Humans don't want to talk to your computer

Again, customer service is about information, and the longer it takes for a customer to get the information they seek, the more frustrated they become. Yes, I've been to your website. The information I was looking for wasn't there, so that's why I'm calling.

Get Human actually grades companies on the ease of reaching a live representative. Dillard's, L.L. Bean, Hertz and Comfort Inn are among the few brands that earn A's.

Keep your promises

A 4-hour service or delivery window is barely acceptable. Missing that window is not, especially when customer are be missing work to wait for you to arrive. Yes, delays will happen, but consumers have to feel like companies respect their time, or customers will take their time (and money) to someone who will.

Listen to the customers

There may be nothing you can do about a specific complaint (many companies are bureaucracies - customers get that), but if the same complaint comes in enough, maybe there is an opportunity to make your company better.