Fix Your Broken Customer Service With These Ideas

If you suspect that your customer service is lagging, or worse, broken altogether, there is hope. Small changes can make a big difference to both your business and your customer experience, so don’t be afraid to make those changes now, before the problem gets worse. Here are some things you can try to fix your broken customer service today.

Offer your customers the tools they need to help themselves (if they want to)

Some customers are happier doing most of their interaction with your company alone, that is, they prefer self-service most of the time. Don’t think of things like customer account dashboards and online ordering as an alternative to great customer service, but rather as tools to enhance your customer experience. Anything that makes your customer experience easier or more pleasant for your customers is a great investment in customer service.

Give customer service employees the tools they want and need

What do your employees say is the biggest challenge they face in providing better customer service? Is it a lack of training, a lack of technology, or maybe even a lack of the ability to own each customer’s problem fully? Give your employees the space to provide excellent service, and give them the tools, and they’ll be more likely to embrace their roles more fully. Just make sure that you’re not making changes for the sake of change–in other words, don’t fix areas that aren’t broke. Listen to your employees, work with them to determine what they need, and work together to fix your broken customer service.

Have a clear philosophy for your customer service

You can’t give the best customer service if you don’t know what exactly ‰Û÷good’ service is. Create a company philosophy about what type of service you want to provide, then draw up a statement that shows your intent. Build your customer service around this creed and then build your company culture around that great service. Make your statement short, sweet, and to the point, then drive it home by living up to it every day.

Visit Answer 365 often for more great tips and advice on creating a great customer-centered corporate culture.