The team has worked their backsides off trying to win a new account. The signature comes back, and the Purchase Order arrives soon after. Time to exceed customer expectations. A kickoff call is scheduled and introductions are made. Post kickoff call, project details are sent back to the client for approval, and we’re off and running. The first month of the account leads to fine-tuning specifics, establishing a main point of contact and on-time deliverables. A call cadence is established and the account is in good shape. Fast forward six months later. The deliverables are still timely and error-free, but the call cadence has fallen off the Hillary Step of Everest.

 

Email communication becomes the norm and sometimes even text messages. It’s assumed (you know what that means) everything is going along just fine. However, it’s uncovered that an element of the deliverable hasn’t been used or isn’t functioning properly. The issue escalates to Executive Management on both sides and then the firestorm begins. The account went from a strong candidate for renewal to being in jeopardy of falling into the abyss of non-renewable accounts.

 

Has this ever happened to you? Ok, maybe not as dramatic, but I think we have all been there. This happened to me, and it was a refreshing slap of reality across my face. We get busy with daily operations, tactical thinking and oh yeah; there’s that thing called LIFE which can be challenging at times. Complacency sets in and the theory of “No news is good news,” becomes commonplace. Complacency is not a good trait to have in the workplace (or anywhere for that matter).

 

Problem Solve

 

It’s time to problem-solve. Don’t waste time pointing fingers; it is what it is. The immediate action item is to establish verbal communication over the phone or if budget allows, a physical visit. Nobody picks up their phone nowadays, but you must pick up the phone, dial the number and leave a voicemail. It works! I have seen myself do it! Now, the next step is to follow up with an email which regurgitates what you said in the voicemail. It’s documented this way. However, you’re far from done on problem resolution. Persistence is essential, and the phone call regiment continues until you get your contact on the phone and actually talking. It’s equally important to have a team in place who are aware of the issue. Call them too! There’s a good chance the issue will need the assistance of a few others based on their core competencies. The team will also be ready to troubleshoot and answer any questions which requires a skill where you might have to go back to school, take out another student loan and take multiple classes just to become a novice. Another important element to the firestorm is to have a scribe in place so pertinent information can be captured for the team to refer to if need be. Again, more documentation. Finally, be ready to have solutions / options to present, but also be ready to listen.

 

Chances are, you’ll hear a lot of frustration on the other line and rightfully so. Admit you will take full ownership of the issue and come prepared with a set of solutions /options in place. It’s also important to assure this type of disconnect will not take place again, and communicate to your client there have been steps to ensure it doesn’t. Be sure to implement several quality checks and tests after the issue has been resolved. Then you can report back (AND CALL) to your client you’re on top of the matter. This shows loyalty to the client and a concern for the success of the client as well as the success of your organization.

 

Finally, call the client frequently (in addition to the regularly scheduled calls) to make sure everything is working for them. If there is something else which would provide value to your existing products / services for your client, this would be the time to pull the rabbit out of the hat.

 

So, at the end of the day, imagine what might have happened if a phone call was made instead of unanswered emails or texts. Remember exactly how you felt when the issue was escalated to Executive Management. Remember your clients’ success or lack of if you don’t stay in constant communication. It’s time to turn back the technological clock and stop counting on electronic messaging to communicate important information. Even if there’s nothing going on, there’s no harm to pick up the phone and say ‘Hi.’

 

Electronic messaging is integral. Now, picking up the phone is perceived as a necessary evil. Let’s change that to electronic messaging is the necessary evil and talking is personable. So pick up the phone, but please don’t let it be a rotary phone.

Does Customer Service still matter?

 

Do any of us really believe that customer service still matters?  Most business leaders would immediately say, “Sure it does,” because we take great pride in the customer experience we provide.  As business owners and CEO’s, we carry the torch of serving our customers proudly and without reservation.  However, are these same customers laughing behind our backs when we talk about how we plan to serve them?  Are we spending time on something that is obsolete, forgotten, or simply old fashioned in today’s fast paced world of mobile engagement and transactional business?
 
I have wrestled with this question as I think about what my company needs to look like in the future.  Candidly, I have been questioning a lot lately.  In the world of information technology, it is abundantly clear that what allowed us to be successful for the first 10 years will not be what propels our growth and success in the coming 10 years.  The way in which our customers view our value and how they procure IT services has changed dramatically with technologies like virtualization, cloud computing, and “rent a developer” from the farthest reaches of the earth.  Is it then possible that our customers view how they are served differently too?
 
The expectations of customers have changed fundamentally in several key areas.  First, what we previously considered crucial to customer service (being available, attention to detail, speed, and rapidly addressing issues and problems) are all considered table stakes now.  Yes, they are all important and essential, but they do not differentiate.  Next, customers expect us to focus on what we are great at doing.  Customers frown quickly on a solution provider that purports to be good at everything or even a large number of things.  Finally, the majority of customers desire a trust-based relationship.  Their worlds are fast paced and rapidly changing; and, therefore, they need organizations and people they can trust.  These are some of the biggest changes we have seen in terms of how customers have changed and what they expect in 2015.
 
This journey has been an ongoing one that has resulted in an evolving set of customer service expectations.  In a nutshell, customers still care about customer service.  However, how customer service is defined in 2015 is different; and understanding these differences appears to be very important.  My research culminated in a customer service roadmap called CustomerFIRST where the word FIRST is an acrostic:
 
F – Flexible
I – Invested
R – Responsive
S – Strategic
T – Trusted
 
These five pillars of customer service were chosen because they consistently fit the mold of what I have heard over and over again from customers.  Defining each of these and their meaning is quite important.  Maybe the most sobering revelation is that the stakes and importance of customer services have increased.  In fact, because solutions, education, technology, and opinions are so easily accessible over the Web, how a customer is served ends up being one of the most important areas of differentiation.
 
Over the coming weeks, I will be diving into each of these customer service expectations and providing the key elements of success for each based on the school of hard knocks and what clients are sharing with me today in 2015.
 
Until we meet again, I wish you the very best in your efforts to serve customers in the ways they want to be served.