Is Your Business Making These Customer Service Mistakes?



72% just wanted to
 express their anger.
Only 33% had the chance.

 An article in today's Wall Street Journal featured some staggeringly frightening figures from a 2007 study done by Customer Care Measurement & Consulting and Arizona State University.

"How to Keep Your Cool in Angry Times" by columnist Sue Shellenbarger.

You can read the full article and pull up the graph here:  http://bit.ly/96KSQN

Three customer service 'tricks' ring consistent and true AND can work in the home:

1. Apologizing for the difficulty is a start.  Then, listen with empathy.
2. Confidently tell your customer the problem will be fixed.
3. Know that the bigger the problem, the more staisfied the customer is when the solution is found.

Of course, it all means nothing if the problem just keeps happening again and again.

But the part of the article you have to pay attention to is the graph analysis of what customers wanted and what they got.

Here's some figures:

• 84% wanted their product or service repaired or fixed.  Only 27% got it.
• 83% wanted assurance the problem would not happen again.  Only 17% got it.
• 78% just wanted an explanation.  Only 18% got one.
• 70% wanted an apology.  Only 24% heard, "We're sorry."

And here is the what is probably the most appalling statistic and where you can increase your opportunity to keep a customer - which is typically much less expensive than hunting for new business- and maybe even increase your customer revenue (since customers come to you to solve problems):

When calling about an issue, 69% of customers simply wanted a "thank you" as part of the copmany's response to their complaint.  You would think this one is a no-brainer, right?  Wrong.  Only 22% of customer complaints received a "thank you for your business."

Need another touch point with your customer.  Need another valid reason to call or write your customer.  Do you have a new or different product or service to sell to your customer?

Hurry up and thank your customer for their business.  If you are able, and everyone should be able, make it personal. 

Everyday I remind my kids to include "please" and "thank you" in their response to as many questions asked as possible.  Pay attention to well-thought of role models in your circle of influence.  I'll be they do the same.

Read the full article, especially if you are in the customer service side of the business.  However, every aspect of your business should take advantage of this insightful customer service research. 

• Use pen and paper.
• Use e-mail.
• Use your phone.
• Say "Thank you" and say it often!

For business to consumer- have the thank you come from the assigned sales rep, his or her manager and the company president; and it should be addressed directly to the person you are thanking.

For business to business- have the thank you come from the assigned sales rep, his or her manager and the company president; and address it directly to the person you are thanking, his or her manager and company president.

Be the Hero,
Mark

P.S.- The Jewish New Year is just behind us and the holiday Sukkot begins tonight.  You can take a look at a piece I did for Neve Shalom, the local conservative synagogue in Metuchen, New Jersey showing their sukkah and how to say the blessing at the link below.  http://www.youtube.com/markneveshalomnj#p/u/6/BaQSouBpRb0.