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March 11, 2022
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3 min read

What are the foundations of good customer service?

Aside from the quality of products and services that businesses offer, customer experience is one of the integral aspects of business that help nurture customer relations and encourage them to regularly engage with you as a brand/ company. 

 
This manifests in continued engagement, great feedback, and (eventual) repeated sales. Customer service – while an obviously important part of business - is often taken for granted and is not well implemented.   

 
To be able to provide a quality customer experience, there are different aspects that need to be considered and understood.



Customer service vs customer experience

 

People might confuse customer service with customer experience. The former focuses on providing guidance to customers before and during purchasing a product or service and as part of after-sales support. Often, there are specific teams or tools that handle these types of interactions with the customers and can be transactional at times as it ends once the customer's concern is addressed.

 

Customer experience, on the other hand, not only refers to sale-related support but the total interaction of the customer with the business. It starts from the moment a customer becomes aware of a brand or product through social media posts, face-to-face marketing, and other means. 

 

Simply put, customer service is only a part of the customer experience and can go beyond it through encounters with different departments in the company.




What makes an exceptional customer experience?

 

  1. Customer-centric solutions

 

While businesses have different goals and targets, it’s important that the focus is on the customers. At times, there’s a disconnect between what businesses perceive as what customers want versus what they actually need. 

 

Highlighting multiple products or services means sales for the business. But these may not be the answer that customers are looking for. Being able to give solutions that are customer-centric can result in loyalty and continued sales for the business especially when clients find value in what is being offered.  

 

An example of this is having multiple channels where customers can contact the business for their concerns. It may require a heftier investment to establish tools and train people specifically for customer service, but it does definitely help the business overall and in the long run. 




  1. Consistency

 

Being consistent in your interactions with customers is one of the factors that build a good customer experience. 

 

For example, respect and courtesy are values that are taught to be maintained when conversing with customers. But it not only applies to those working in customer service and aftersales. 

 

Upholding these values is expected to be part of the entire culture, imbibed by all personnel, regardless of team and department, and which should also be reflected in all channels of business (i.e. social media, internal interactions, etc.)  

 

  1. Personalization

 

Customers have different needs and preferences when choosing products or services. Therefore, it will not be effective to just have one plan/ strategy when approaching them.

 

Based on your different buyer’s profiles, tailor interactions, and spiels that more directly address a customer’s wants and needs and preferred approach to being contacted. 

 

For example, for your younger consumers, you can attract their attention by creating more visually appealing promotions on social media that match their language and tastes. On the other hand, for your more mature, corporate consumers who are more accessible via email, you can better cascade information through email or an e-newsletter. 

 

This can also be applied to customer service where there are specific next steps for different customer profiles. Going back to the previous example, the highly knowledgeable IT personnel might need more technical explanations for their queries compared to mothers who want quick solutions to their issues.

 

  1. Getting feedback

 

It’s essential to get your customer's input to know how you can better improve your product/ service and/or provide better support. If customers are happy with your service and share a raving review, that’s great! Positive feedback online or through word-of-mouth is more rewarding and more effective than any ad. 

 

However, if a customer shares negative feedback, don’t shy away from the opportunity to engage with them. Acknowledge the shortcoming, offer a solution, and continue to deliver good customer service. 

 

Remember, feedback is a way to improve current products or services, remove things that are not working, and introduce changes if needed.

 

  1. Credibility

 

One way to build an excellent customer experience is to nurture connections based on credibility. If you are an expert in the field and offer a quality service/ product/ solution, highlight what makes you the most trustworthy. Align yourself with trustworthy partners and vendors, and build credibility by dealing honestly and directly with customers.

 

Exceptional customer experience is not solely about catering to your consumers. Remember, it’s also a reflection of who you are as a brand – your values, your vision, and your sincere want to make their lives easier. Through your interactions, maintain that good first impression and uphold yourself in the positive light that you wish your customers to remember you by.   

 

How can you teach and cascade good customer experience to your team?