In the article “4 Lessons for Delivering Flawless Customer Service,” featured on Inc.’s website, contributor Robin Camarote discusses how a workforce impacts customer service.
“Caring for customers is a critical element in every business. Most small business owners ‘get this’ but struggle to deliver a consistent, flawless experience to their customers as they grow,” writes Camarote in the article. “In fact, the challenge of caring for customers — through your employees — can be a big part of what accelerates your business’s growth or holds you back.”
She continues in the article, “Why? Your employees’ contact with your customers is a big part of what shapes their experience. It is often the single factor in whether those customers will be one-time sales or loyal, repeat clients.”
In the article, Camarote shares four ways to deliver “flawless customer service” by paying attention to your workplace dynamic:
- Recruit and hire quality employees. By articulating the values and passion for the business in the job announcement, owners and operators are more likely to find candidates who also share these values and passion.
- Encourage problem solving and creative, independent thinking. Allowing employees to spend time and money enables them to quickly fix a bad experience or take a great experience “over the top.” It is important for owners and operators to encourage their workforce to problem solve and think creatively and independently.
- Resolve conflict. Conflict will arise even in a happy, productive environment. Every business should have a process to resolve or elevate employee and supervisor disputes. “It is important to be fast and fair when addressing problems,” explains Camarote in the article. “Upon hearing about an issue, managers need a reliable method for gathering information and quickly (within 24 hours) making a decision on how to address a noted problem.”
- Make managers/supervisors visible and accessible. “Managers should be actively participating in delivering your product or service alongside employees,” asserts Camarote in the article, adding that this visibility provides customers with significant time to speak up as well as for mangers to see the day-to-day operations firsthand.
Read the entire article on customer service through a strong workforce here.
