During the past five years, we have
seen more than enough corporate
cost-cutting, stock market blues, layoffs and outsourcing departments to the
lowest bidder. As a result, customer service is at such an all-time low that if it is not
horrible, consumers are relieved.
Many organizations in corporate America
are starting to realize that one of the few
ways to create long-term brand security is
by differentiating themselves through service. Customers are tired of tolerating inferior customer service. If it is true that “the
better the service, the less price becomes
an issue,” then it is equally true that “the
worse the service, the less price becomes
an issue,” meaning that if you constantly
drop the ball and do nothing to make
things right for the customer, then he or
she will not want to do business with you
even if you offer the lowest price around.
Customers are savvy. They realize that
poor customer service can be costly when
you factor in the R.O.H. (return on hassle), the additional time it takes to return something, to call customer service three times,
to fume on the phone waiting in queue,
hoping to get an answer or a resolution, while experiencing added stress related to unnecessary
issues. Customers realize that it
would have been cheaper to pay
more for something and have it
done right the first time. Companies cannot always fall back
on being the lowest price and
expect to compete.
The bar is so low that companies have a
real opportunity to gain a competitive
advantage. Whatever your business —
retail, hospitality or business-to-business
— it has never been easier to exceed the
customer’s expectation by delivering a
memorable experience. The few companies that realize this and make their value
proposition “service” are seeing a strong
return on their investment.
They’re finding lower employee turnover, higher customer retention, increased average tickets, higher prices, more referrals
and, ultimately, are making price less relevant.
There is a customer service revolution going on. Several companies in Northeast Ohio truly get it,
and it is paying off for them. If you
are looking to create a world-class
customer service organization,
then get out your notebook,
because the following companies
have strayed from conventional
industry practices and have decided that
rather than compete on price, they will create relationships with their customers, sell
experiences and be a total resource for their
customers.
Their systems are transferable to any
industry. Take note.
JOHN R. DIJULIUS III is president of The DiJulius Group and
author of “Secret Service, Hidden Systems that Deliver
Unforgettable Customer Service.” Reach him at (216) 839-1430
or [email protected].