Consumer Expectations

NOTE: The following tips are provided by Barbara Wold, Global Retail and Consumer Expert.

As poor customer service pervades around the world, consumer expectations are only on the rise.

Superior Customer Service: Strategies for Success

1. Always try to exceed customer expectations. You must have a strong understanding of customer needs as these dictate expectations. Conducting a customer service focus group and talking with your customers often will provide you with a true understanding of these needs. 

2. Track changes in customer expectations often and over time. Any successful company must learn to identify and adjust quickly to changing trends, many of which will be reflected in customer expectations. 

3. Make a strong first impression. The first contact with a customer often sets the tone for their lasting impression of the company. 

4. Be accessible, approachable and responsive. If your customer finds it difficult to get in touch with your company -- the prospect of developing a strong, long-term relationship built on customer service satisfaction is greatly diminished. Make a habit of regularly reaching out to your customers to enhance customer service satisfaction and build lasting relationships.

5. Determine how well your company delivers. Initial customer satisfaction research will provide a baseline against which to measure future improvement initiatives. 

6. Solicit input from your service personnel and front-line staff. Most public-contact employees are self-motivated to achieve customer service satisfaction. They are the best source for identifying roadblocks to superior service delivery. Spotlighting and addressing these issues not only improves customer service satisfaction but employee attitudes as well.

7. Improve employee satisfaction. Regularly conduct an employee attitude survey to measure and improve employee satisfaction. This will, in turn, have an impact on customer service satisfaction. More satisfied employees will provide better service to your customers. 

The following list provides a good starting point for thinking about customer service research and how it can help your company deliver superior service.

"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?"
Frank Scully, writer and columnist