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Best Practices in Customer Service Part Two. Practical Models for Managing Customer Service
Now more than ever, customers are rewarding the companies that meet their needs and expectations and avoiding or even attacking those that do not. This article will take you through the process of setting up a customer service initiative, from assessing your current customer service approach and determining your customers' requirements to creating a customer service vision with customer-friendly policies. It suggests methods for dealing effectively with your customers and offers advice for educating the rest of your organization to focus on customer service. Susan Smith was Vice President of Operations for Entrepreneurial Edge, a Philadelphia-based research and training organization for entrepreneurs. She is President of Discovery Group, Inc., a training and consulting firm specializing in high-performance management. How can companies use the Ishikawa diagram to achieve "perfect service"—and establish a good foundation for "exceptional service"? The author maintains that most American companies use this tool less effectively than Japanese companies. He explains the difference in perspectives and offers advice on maximizing the benefits of this approach. Michael Vandergriff is president of The Vandergriff Consulting Group, "The Conflict Experts," a division of Vandergriff & Vandergriff, in Plano, Texas. He has been handling conflicts and providing conflict resolution training since 1979, for 14 years as head of Skill Trainers, then for the last six years with The Vandergriff Consulting Group. He is a dynamic speaker and often addresses regional, national, and international groups. E-mail: michael@vandergriffgroup.com Web site: http://www. vandergriffgroup.com Service standards are the way an organization can meet or exceed customer expectations consistently. This article discusses three types of service standards: outcome, status, and transactional. The first two are generally relatively easy to define and achieve—and usually not enough. The third is often the key to customer satisfaction. The author outlines a five-phase approach to creating transactional service standards, the competitive edge for "organizations that wow their customers, that knock their socks off and keep them coming back again and again." Kristin Anderson is a Principal with Performance Research Associates, Inc., in Minneapolis, a firm that specializes in needs assessment, service research, service management programs, and evaluation research. Kristin coordinates efforts on consulting and joint venture projects, as well as new product development. In client consulting, she specializes in focus groups and survey research. Kristin is the author of Great Customer Service on the Telephone (AMACOM Books, 1992). She also wrote (with co-editor Ron Zemke) the books Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service (AMACOM, 1996), Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service (AMACOM, 1991), Knock Your Socks Off Answers: Solving Customer Nightmares and Soothing Nightmare Customers (AMACOM, 1996), and Tales of Knock Your Socks Off Service: Inspiring Stories of Outstanding Customer Service (AMACOM, 1997). E-mail: KrisLeeAnd@aol.com You can't effectively improve customer service until you know what your customers think about your products or services. But, the author of this article maintains, you can't accurately measure how they feel until you've determined why they feel that way. Do you know the difference between satisfaction with current offerings and perceived ideal quality? This article will help you answer that question and use the answer to better evaluate and improve your service. Georgette M. Zifko-Baliga, Ph.D. is a founding member and senior partner with The Institute for Quality Center. She has held management positions in both healthcare and consumer products manufacturing. She also possesses academic experience, having been on the faculty and received excellence in teaching awards at The Ohio State University and Kent State University. She conducts market research, workshops and keynote addresses on perception, self-image, expectations, and quality. E-mail: gzifko@imperium.net Web site: http://www.ne-ohio.net/iqc/index.html When customers understand your business and understand how they can help you serve them, they'll take on some of your work, and this can even result in improved loyalty. How do you create such partnerships and how can this result in more satisfied customers? This is what Chip Bell explains in this article. Chip R. Bell manages the Dallas, Texas, office of Performance Research Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations improve customer loyalty. He is the author or co-author of 10 books, including three best-sellers—Customers as Partners: Building Relationships That Last (Berrett-Koehler, 1994), Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service (AMACOM, 1992), and Managers as Mentors (Berrett-Koehler, 1996). His newest book, Dance Lessons, will be released in late 1998. E-mail: prawest@aol.com This article describes how Delta Airlines achieved a competitive advantage through its Success Through Service training. Whether you operate a huge commercial airline or you sell widgets, the management challenges Delta faced will seem familiar—and the management practices will help you address those challenges and encourage a culture of customer service. Nora Weaver is system manager of Integrated Customer Service and a master facilitator of Success Through Service Training, Delta Air Lines, Atlanta. E-mail: nora.weaver@delta-air.com Web site: http://www.delta-air.com Tom Atkinson is Vice President of The Forum Corporation, Boston. A senior consultant, he is skilled in research, development, and training. He consults with client companies to develop programs and systems for improving individual and organizational performance. His experience includes assessments, competency studies, program development, and evaluation. E-mail: tatkinso@forum.com Web site: http://http://www.forum.com Return to Best Practices in Customer Service page |