Customer Service Article

This customer service article details how business leaders can properly measure customer service results.

Most leaders agree that anything a leader considers to be important, is worthy of being properly measured and tracked over time.

Some would cringe at the thought of a business manager not tracking sales production, personnel expense or bottom-line profits. Yet too often organizations do not take the time to measure customer service delivery on a regular basis.

Too many business owners do not see the art of customer service as something you can attach a hard number to. They simply feel that customer service is more of an abstract concept versus a concrete outcome that can be effectively measured.

Rest assured, this customer service article identifies some concrete ways for managers to measure and maintain a customer service focus in their organization.

The fact is that most managers make the process of measuring customer service more difficult than necessary.

Here are several key measurements that provide an indicator for customer service quality:

• Customer Attrition Ratio = number of customers leaving / total number of customers (for the same time period) – the higher the ratio, the less likely it is that your company is consistently delivering quality customer service.
• Sales Growth - your reputation precedes you. If people are still buying from you, and referring others, chances are they are happy with the service and they are loyal to your organization.
• Customer Survey Results - directly asking customers to rate the service level they receive is by far the best way to measure service quality.
• Customer Complaints - be thankful for each complaint that comes to your attention. You can only provide a thoughtful response to customer issues once you are made aware of the issue. When customer’s complain they represent not just their issue, but perhaps an issue that is affecting others.

If you take nothing else away from this message, remember that customer service is not just a warm and fuzzy catch phrase. The service your team provides reflects the quality of your name and your reputation.

Quality customer service delivery must be considered as SACRED by all who work in your organization. Service quality must be at the heart of your business and in the hearts and minds of each employee.

You will know your organization is successful in the area of customer service when every employee “instinctively” responds to any customer inquiry with the phrase:

Customer Service Tools & Resources

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