- An important part of customer service leadership
is understanding what customers want,
and ensuring your delivery and experiences
that meet their expectations.
But what do customers expect?
How are those expectations changing?
Let's explore answers to these questions here.
The primary reason that customer expectations evolve,
and sometimes very quickly, is innovation.
While customers initially appreciate better services,
they quickly get used to, and even demand them.
The experiences that customers have with any organization,
not just yours or others in your industry,
shape their perceptions.
So we've got to continually revisit,
what is good customer service mean?
For customer service leaders,
this can seem like a daunting challenge.
Fortunately, it's not the guesswork it might at first
seem to be.
The International Customer Management Institute, ICMI,
has found that there are 10 expectations customers have
of service interactions.
They include, in no specific order:
be accessible, treat me courteously, be responsive to,
and ideally anticipate, what I need and want,
do what I ask promptly, provide well-trained
and informed employees, tell me what to expect,
meet your commitments and keep your promises,
do it right the first time, follow-up,
and be socially responsible and ethical.
What is changing of course, is what these expectations mean.
Accessibility is an example.
With even the smallest companies, customers expect a range
of choices from what's available on search to self-service,
to being able to reach a person as needed.
In addition to these 10 expectations,
there's another category that applies to in-person service.
I'll have to call tangibles.
That refers to the ascetics and the functionality
of the environment.
These include facilities, the neatness of employees,
for example is there a dress code?
Amenities, such as WiFi and water and waiting areas,
and others.
In other words, anything that impacts
the customer's perception of the organization
and our service.
Many dentist offices once dreaded by children now feature
greeters, toys, and games, and waiting areas, and videos,
and a choice of flavors for cleanings.
These are all tangibles.
As you explore your customer's expectations,
let me make three recommendations.
First, get out there yourself.
Make the effort to get input from customers
and employees firsthand.
John C. Bogle, the founder of Vanguard,
which is now the largest mutual fund company
in the United States, personally helped handle calls
in the contact center throughout his career.
He often commented on how hard the job is,
but he picked up invaluable insight on customers
and what they need and want.
Second, trust your instincts.
If you prefer clean restrooms when you're on a road trip,
if you like to run a question by your insurance company
on a Saturday morning because hey, you're busy
the rest of the week.
These may be obvious opportunities.
Companies such as Wawa and Geico have leveraged them
into services that have helped build their brands.
Finally, above all, make service easy
and resolve issues quickly.
This is what customers want.
Research is very clear on that.
Simplicity and speed have proven to be sure winners.
You'll find the complete list of these customer expectations
in The Guide To Additional Resources.
It's important for anyone in a leadership role
in customer service to keep tabs on customer expectations.
This is key to shaping services that truly hit the mark.