Customer service organisations must see the need to develop strategies to provide effective customer relations. Employees who are ambassadors of the organisation must be perceived that they have been trained to deal with irate customers, resolve conflict, and have the authority to retain customers on behalf of the organisation. Providing effective customer relations can mean the difference between gaining and losing customers to the competition. When the organisation starts losing customers, depending on the size of the organisation it is not long before it shows up on financial statements as “losses”.
Why do we need to develop effective customer relations strategies? The success of an organisation is also dependent upon the employee’s being able to effectively demonstrate and communicate the policies and services in an effort that customers receive value for money. The following are reasons why customer relations must be improved in the organisation:
* To establish customer loyalty
* To develop business relationships
* To product position the internal operations of the organisation
* To create a positive environment to conduct business
* To manage time effectively
* To minimise negative exposures
* To increase productivity
* To maximise sales opportunities
* To manage customer satisfaction levels
* To communicate effectively
* To communicate a positive message
To provide effective customer relations we must first clearly define customer relations. Often we use customer relations and customer service interchangeably to have the same meaning. However, there is a major difference. In the first article I wrote “Developing A Systematic Approach To Customer service Delivery” dated January 7, 2003, I stated that customer service is defined as developing a systematic approach to exceeding the customer’s expectation through the coordination of analysis, methodology, service delivery, service design, service access, service management, cost strategies, and communicating this message in a language that both the internal and external customer can understand. In other words, customer service is a systematic process. Customer relations is defined as developing the most effective interactive customer service strategy using principles of customer relations to determine and satisfy both existing and potential customer needs. Customer relations is a systematic interaction between an employee and the customer.
The task of providing effective customer relations is not easy. Some organisations maintain a level of customer relations with customers in an effort to keep the lid from blowing off. This is called “the get-by syndrome”. Often customer relations between customers and employees are often described as, “what you see is what you get” and often come with no frills.
However, this non-systematic approach to managing customer relations allows the organisation directly or indirectly to develop a customer service pressure center. In this pressure center, the customer is at the mercy of the organisation because, there is no clarity to the implementation of policies when resolving outstanding issues.
Customers believe they are entitle to benefit X and they will do almost anything or try any tactic to achieve this end result.
On the other hand, customer relations professionals in an attempt to resolve the problem often believe they hold the trump card and stand their ground in the best interest of the company. When two entities believe they are right the end result develops into a war. The customer is not willing to remain in the pressure center because he or she has been transferred to a hostile environment. The customer realizes that he or she has two options because the volcano has just erupted. One, the volcano erupts and the customer explodes silently by leaving to enter a point of no return. Two, the customer explodes verbally by creating a scene until someone who realizes that whoever is dealing with that customer was not effective in resolving the problem.
The following constitutes five strategies that lay the foundation to providing effective customer relations:
THE CUSTOMER ROYALTY STRATEGY
Effective customer relations begin when the customer relations professional takes the initiative to create an environment where the customer feels like he or she is royalty.
The first impression οΎ– last impression philosophy is important to setting the appropriate atmosphere to assist potential and existing customers. A smiling face, a cordial greeting, and a positive work ethic are key components to delivering service beyond the smile. Even though the royalty strategy implies royalty customer relations, the customer relations professional should not go overboard to the point in his or her attempt to execute and distract the customer from the goal (doing business).
THE RELATIONSHIP STRATEGY
The relationship strategy states that the foundation of effective customer relations can be developed when the customer service professional goes beyond the norm of doing business. A two-tier approach should be executed in an effort to develop a business working relationship with existing and potential customers. One, it allows the customer relations professional the opportunity to develop a profile on the customer. Two, it also allows the customer relations professional to increase productivity because time will not be wasted on a probing exercise. For example, once a relationship is established the customer relations professional knows what the customer wants and seeks to provide advice in the best interest of the client’s needs.
THE PRODUCT STRATEGY
One of the main reasons why service organisations spend thousands of dollars on training is because, they want sales personnel to have a thorough knowledge of the product. The professional should always be in a position to advise the customer on the best strategy using various products and continually creating awareness for the products and services. Without a thorough knowledge of the products and services, effective customer relations may not be achieved.
THE SERVICE STRATEGY
The service strategy states that it is the responsibility of the customer relations professional to ensure as much as humanly possible that customers receive the highest level of service. Therefore, understanding that service is not telephone etiquette and interpersonal communication, but service beyond the smile and ensuring that the customer’s requests are determined, executed and followed through to the end of the service delivery process.
THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
The communication strategy states that the customer relations professional should be skillfully trained to communicate the right message to existing and potential customers.
The communication message methodology used should include both verbal and non-verbal messages. During the interaction, the customer relations professional should make every attempt in the initial stages to convey that he or she has the customer’s undivided attention. Non-verbal messages such as a weak handshake, no eye contact, inappropriate facial expressions, and a sense of being distracted, sends a clear signal to the customer that you are not interested in their needs.
The information contained in this article are partial excerpts from the following training programmes:
* Principles of Customer Service
* Customer Service Management
* Developing Customer Service Delivery Systems
* Developing Customer Service Delivery Management Systems
* Developing Effective Customer Relations
* Customer Relations Management
* Re-engineering Employee Performance.
By Bert Mullings
