So, I’m delighted to have reached this point without anyone having questioned my credibility or ability to write about customer service with authority. I take this as a good sign that we’re providing a good example of what customer service should look and feel like, which is a credit to my team.
(It is however, a good job these particular articles weren’t on the topic of grammar. Thank you to the customer who spotted last month’s faux pas before (hopefully) too many of you saw it.)
Anyway, back to customer service. In my previous blogs, I’ve written about the need for basic, fundamental skills (and product knowledge would fall into this category), listening and empathy. This month I want to consider flexibility.
When I started to write this month’s blog I realised that my previous example of good customer service (the toasted fruit and seed bar, in case you need reminding) actually provided a good example of what I wanted to show this month. In fact I realised that flexibility is really what becomes possible when the other three elements are in place: having a good understand of what you can do and how to do it, (basic skills) what the customers needs, desires and wants are (listening) and caring (empathy). There is one proviso here though, and that is that the organisation’s culture must allow, and actually actively encourage, flexibility in order to ensure the customer’s needs are met.
A good example would be when I ordered a new printer. It was for my home office but I was paying for it with my business credit card, which is billed to our office in Alston. Normally, the company would not dispatch a first order to a different address (for good reasons) but because the lady I dealt with had a good understanding of the processes (and who she needed to talk to get them overruled), my needs and cared, she was able to arrange for the printer to be delivered to my home the very next day.
The thing is, we all want to be treated like individuals, not numbers, and flexibility is the way we can demonstrate to our customers that they are just that. It’s not rocket science – it just means putting the customer first. You’ll notice I say ‘the customer’ (singular) not ‘customers’ plural. There’s a big difference.
I couldn’t possibly end this series of articles without mentioning an email I received from Charity, who many of you will know as your Customer Relationship Manager, following last month’s newsletter. She said: “I just thought I’d let you know I thoroughly enjoyed your blog this month – no wonder you were so interested in my ‘empathic soup’ stories at my interview!” I’d almost forgotten about Charity’s soup story. She used it as an example of displaying customer service in a previous career (working in a café) and it’s what secured her job here at Glasstap. It’s a brilliant example of flexibility and I recommend you ask her about it. ☺
Rod Webb
www.glasstap.com
