Exceptional customer service
Updated: Feb 22
On November 21, 2017, I wrote an article capturing all that I had learnt in the field of customer service. At that point, I had about 14 months of work experience. Fast forward to now and a lot of it is still very much applicable:
1. Create the conditions - If your organisation is to provide excellent service, your people are fundamentally important.
2. Hire for attitude - Do not hire staff because they are experienced or because their CVs look good. Hire staff because they possess the key characteristics for excellent service.
3. Be consistent - Each interaction should be treated with utmost care and with as little room for error as possible.
4. Focus on the details - Small gestures and reactions make a very big difference.
5. Feedback. Feedback. Feedback - This is the most important control mechanism and can give you immense insight into the whole process.
6. Never say no - Anything will work as long as it is respectful and empathic (and the word no doesn't feature).
7. Provide alternatives - For every hypothetical request or inquiry, you should have at least one other solution (if not two).
8. Take ownership - It is the duty of each and every member of the business to do their utmost to serve the needs of their customers.
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