Commit to High Standards and Communicate Them to Employees

Customer service starts at the very top – Set your standards high, and let your employees know they are non-negotiable.  Inform employees upon hiring the conduct that is expected. Monitor Employee phone calls and watch them work. If they aren’t meeting our standards, explain to them why and correct the issue.

 Display your company’s commitment to customer service with the following tips:

1. Post a written copy of your customer service policy where every employee can see it.
2. Routinely review your customer service standards.
3. Hold monthly quality meetings and training seminars.
4. Create an incentive program that rewards great performance.
5. Post Signs with appropriate phrases and service messages.

Making these a part of your operations will help keep everyone on the same page and ensure consistency.

Maintain Proper Employee Attitude

Maintaining the right employee attitude is imperative to your success. Your employees are your frontline to winning customers and their attitude is conveyed in everything they do. It’s in their body language when face-to-face with a customer, in their tone of voice when answering the phone, and in their word choices when responding to an email.

Your customers are your audience. They’re looking to you to provide a great performance. That means personal problems, gossip, & private matters must be left at home.

The following activity that will get employees thinking about the right attitude:

1. Ask them to describe a specific time when they received great customer service and to explain what made the experience special.
2.  Ask them to describe a time when they received poor customer service and identify what they disliked about the experience.
3. Have your employees share their experiences as a group and list key points from each experience.

This exercise is a great reminder that while many of us are not experienced at providing good customer service, we are all experienced customers. Training your employees to see the mindset of their customers will help them improve their level of service.

Keep Your Level of Service Consistent

A positive attitude will gain your business little if your service is inconsistent. One bad experience is often all it takes to turn a customer away from a business forever. A frustrated employee who is curt with a customer may lose that customer in addition to others who will hear about the experience. Being consistent with every customer lets them know what to expect when they interact with your company, gives them reasons to come back, and can bring in new business.

Use Teamwork to Implement Your Service Policies

Teamwork is essential to bring everything together. Cutthroat work environments will hamper productivity, increase turnover, and will sabotage your customer service efforts. Employees need to feel that by working together everyone benefits and that promoting the company is a shared responsibility.

When employers and employees work together, the result is a seamless experience for the customer. There is no conflict between what one employee says and another, policies are upheld, and customers gain trust in your business.

Richard Sloan has 20 years of progressive success helping individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits and achieve total success.  He is the founder and CEO of Synergy Shared Solutions, a consulting organization specializing in Business Efficiency and Customer Loyalty.

Filed under: Business Development, Customer Service, Customer Service Details, Hospitality, Service Accountability, Service Reviews, Small Business Strategy