Reprinted with permission from Shep Hyken. A business mentor of mine.
KLS Controls is proud to service our customers and is grateful of their business.If there is anything we can do to improve our service, please do not hesitate to call.
1. Do not settle for satisfied customers.
Satisfactory is an average rating.The best companies recognize that satisfied customers are not loyal customers.Every employee should ask themselves a question: What am I doing right now to ensure that the next time the customer needs what it is that we do or sell,they will choose us?Most people think of loyalty as a lifetime,but it is really about the next time,all of the time.
2. Get into alignment.
Every employee must know what the company expects from them,as well as the brand promise the company makes to the customers. Create a mantra,which is a one sentence or less statement that combines the vision and mission of the company,as well as the promise to the customer.The Ritz Carlton hotel chain has a great one that is just nine words long,We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.Everyone gets it,the employees and the guests,customers.The employees have it memorized.They live and breathe the mantra,all of the time.
3. Constantly train.
The best companies budget time and expense for on going training of both hard or technical skills,the skills needed to do their job,and soft skills like customer service,relationship and personal improvement.They do not do this once in a while,they do it all of the time.
4. Create confidence.
Confidence comes from a predictable experience.You want customers to own their experience with you,which means that they know what to expect all of the time.
5. Be amazing.
The best and amazing companies do not deliver over the top customer service experiences all of the time.While once in a while they do,their secret is consistency.They are simply predictably better than average,all of the time.
Shep Hyken,CSP,CPAE
Shepard Presentations,LLC
711 Old Ballas Road,Suite 215
St.Louis,MO 63141
314-692-2200
