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Customer Satisfaction -- A Matter of Survival
A written set of customer service standards will not
only provide an organization with a set of goals, it will set benchmarks
that can be used to monitor and improve service standards.
Written standards can be a valuable training resource, and can help
ensure that service is not only high, but also uniform across an
organization.
Service standards can also form a valuable part of marketing material,
whether in print or web form. They let customers know the quality of
service they can expect and provide avenues for customer feedback, so
that service can be continuously improved.
Customer service policies generally include phone and fax numbers, and
email addresses.
Customer service standards will vary according to the product or service
that is being provided. For example, a public library might make a
commitment to respond to faxes within 24 hours. A retail store might
offer to replace all defective goods within a certain time.
Good service standards are based on a thorough understanding of the
market. Who are the customers and what do they need and/or expect from a
product or service?
Market research surveys can identify the service standards that
customers are used to from competitors. They can determine how satisfied
customers are with those standards.
Standards need to be high and they need to be measurable. For example, a
call center might specify that phone calls need to be answered within
four rings. A retail store might require employees to greet every
customer. It's easy to measure whether such standards are being met.
Once standards are set, they need to be assessed. In the case of
retailers, for example, assessors can pose as customers.
Putting service standards in writing can help ensure that employees know
what is expected of them. But service standards should not be framed in
a way that constitutes any kind of employment contract. Likewise,
organizations should be clear about when their service standards make
legally binding commitments to the public.
Service standards not only set goals for employees, they provide limits
that protect them. For example, they could set the point at which a
difficult customer complaint should be escalated to a manager. They can
also specify when particularly difficult customers can be politely sent
to a competitor.
Internal manuals will provide employees with detailed information on
service standards. But published customer service policies should be
very simple and direct.
A pizza company, for example, may guarantee friendly service and meal
within a certain time. A hotel could offer to refund money if there are
any problems with the room. That's all the detail a customer is likely
to want.
Relevant web resources include:
Americas:
dmoz.org/Business/Customer_Service/Associations
Asia-Pacific:
http://www.csia.com.au/
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