Did you know it’s National Customer Service Week?
Yep, that’s right! It’s about raising awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in successful business practices and the growth of the local economy. Check out the details at these sites:
Customer Service Week
Institute of Customer Service
Customer Service Week 2014: Six Ways To Make It Last All Year
Each day of the week has a theme that relates to some of the key elements of customer service:
I reached out to other Avayans to appreciate what they do for our business on a daily basis. In speaking with Roberto Ricossa (@rricossa), our fearless Worldwide Inside Sales (ISS) Leader, I found out that we did indeed throw a celebration on Monday to kick off the week. And yes, there was cake!
But let’s get serious about this. The people who serve us (as consumers) every day deserve thanks. It’s a hard job; one of the toughest out there in my opinion–especially if they don’t have the right tools to work with.
In speaking with Roberto, we started talking about a presentation he recently delivered at a user event in Mexico City about “Turning Your Customers into Your Biggest Fans.” Today more than ever, your customers are demanding to be serviced on THEIR terms: whenever they want, from wherever, and through any media or device they desire, getting them closer (or not) to your company.
Converting customers into fans of your brand is the only way that you will see your revenues grow. Here are four key recommendations you should follow so that your company does not BECOME history, but MAKES history through the proper Customer Experience Management strategy:
- Define the Business Model: What do you want to do as a company? How do you want to serve your customers? Do you compete on price or service?
- Understand the Customer: What do they want? Vision can be modified! Identify your customers, what they are saying, and what they are expecting.
- Exceed Expectations: Use the guidance from steps 1 and 2 to create an emotional brand. Ambassadors are evangelists, people become fans when they have exceeded their expectations in all interactions, at every opportunity. When products and service experience exceed standards you create fans!
- Business Culture: Create one that cares. If customers are FIRST, employees should be even more FIRST. We call them team members rather than employees.
I took it one step further, and asked one of the Avayans doing the real work on how she stays motivated and keeps the right focus on a day-to-day basis. Her answer was simple (thank you Debra Cabrera). They follow the same principle that Avaya advises its customers: Turn your customers into fans of your business.
Here’s what she sent back to me. I think it stands on its own, without further commentary from me!
5 Ways to Turn Customers into Raving Fans
| 1. | When it’s hot, stay cool. Repeat. | The Worldwide Inside Sales modus operandi |
| 2. | Fix, solve and make it painless. | Via constant enablement & business tools, we are ALWAYS looking for ways to improve the customer’s day-to-day experience! |
| 3. | Listen, engage and act. | What we–as managers–in Avaya’s Miami center do |
| 4. | Be delightful. | Just ask… |
| 5. | Follow up. | Every day |
So, here’s a shout-out to the people who make it happen across the globe, to make our lives as customers better on a day-to-day basis–and to the businesses that care enough to create a culture that drives motivation, respect, and pride!
Imagine what you could do… one great interaction at a time. Each interaction is a “moment of truth” to make your customers feel special (and spend money with you).
