Using Customer Feedback - Part 2

I began in my last post looking at some issues in providing good customer service by examining a recent incident I had with a local food establishment. If you are seeking a job in the customer service field, whether as a manager or just a representative, hopefully, you will take some of these tips along with you to seek to improve the efforts in providing excellent service to your customer base.

As I briefly touched on last time, many places offer some method for customers to respond through. This may be their website, or an in-store customer card, online survey, etc. Companies that do not have some way to acquire customer feedback need to seriously consider doing so, or the silence they are receiving may actually be customers leaving for reasons they know not. For those places that do offer a response system, there are general steps that need to be taken once any feedback is received.

1. ACT! - If a customer gives a response, and it is constructive criticism (especially if it is a complaint), you need to do something, take an immediate action if possible. If you fail to respond, taking no action at all, then that speaks loudly to the customer who took the time to alert you to the issue. Have some kind of structure in place that allows your company to provide quick responses, even if it is just to alert them that their concern was received and was being looked into. That is a common response, "we're taking steps to look into your issue" is a generic statement in itself, and can let the customer know their comment was received, but do not leave it at that, and do not use that as a catch-all end response. Be sure you actually follow up and do something constructive, and alert them of that response.

2. Minimize Customer Effort - If a customer contacts your company with a comment, do not make them jump through hoops or do things to solve the issue themselves. Be as quick to offer assistance and do it for them as soon as possible. Not everyone has the same skill levels, and while your web site may be a top-notch, high tech solution system, remember that not everyone is as comfortable with computers, and can get easily confused. Do not tell them how to find a solution they can work through online, but seek to assist them in the steps along the way. People who can assist themselves, probably will - others will need your assistance; be quick to offer it without acting like they are “bothering” you.

3. Watch Growing Needs - Customers using your product/service may be keener by spotting additional needs or desires that you could provide. Your team on the inside may have worked on all of the angles that they perceive as covering all the bases, but the customer using the product/service may see other needs never considered. Be sure to receive and process that information, quickly getting it into the hands of the developers that can do something with it. As technology grows, so do new and better ways of doing things more proficiently, so be sure to grow with the flow and be aware of growing needs and new advances in the field you work within.

In all that you do in customer service, remember it is about the customer. Service them, listen to them, appeal to them, assist them, and work hard to gain their trust and confidence, and that positive passion will spread to others. Ignore them and deny them, and you will find their negative passion may greatly affect your business.

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Customer Service Jobs blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.