What is Customer Service?

These days-with 'press-1-for-English' phone calls and the outsourcing of service jobs to less expensive countries-customer service is becoming a memory. People in general have become used to the 'Next, Please' mindset of ushering customers through a revolving door only to increase the numbers. We are less often asked "How may I help you?" and are asked more along the lines of "What do I have to do for you?".

There are still businesses that stand behind their customer service values, believe it or not. Because customer service has become so vacant in our everyday tasks, it has also become a valuable competitive advantage when a business can offer outstanding customer service; particularly in intangible product and service industries, such as investing, insurance, and banking.

Customer service is an action, not a department. It is an idea, not a thing. It is calling Mrs. Jones by her name when she walks in the door, asking how her kids are doing, and if she's excelling in her career.

When the door opens, a service-oriented employee will say to a customer, "Hi! How are you?" and really want to know the answer. If you ask for help, a service-oriented employee will assist you personally if possible, rather than passing you to someone else. If she has to refer you to a co-worker for help, she will follow up with you to make sure you received satisfactory assistance. In helping you, she will go above and beyond what you asked and give you what she knows you need. And, she'll do it with a smile. That customer will leave the business thinking, "WOW. Now that's customer service!"

After a transaction in an intangible market, customers do not have something concrete they can take home and examine. A customer must leave the business feeling safe and secure in their decisions with that business. They need to feel a sense of trust with the people who work at that business.

It is the responsibility of the employee to create a trustworthy connection between the customer and the business. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the business to empower the employee to create this relationship. If an employee can maintain trust, honesty, and integrity with a customer, that employee-and the business-holds one strong bond that even the competitors' best sales gimmick cannot destroy.

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