Customer Service Here and Now

Amanda Whitehouse discusses customer service and how organisations can save time, money and effort by developing a service strategy with the customer at its heart.  

Recent commercial press has highlighted that service delivery and long term relationships are becoming more and more important. At a time when most organisations have reduced their profit margins and tightened up resources, an excellence in customer service can offer that all-important competitive edge.

Indeed for the public sector, the effect of the recession has been devastating on some service levels and as a result customer experience has suffered. By gaining a better insight into what your customer needs, a focus on delivering what is truly required can be achieved – rather than acting on an assumption that may be wrong. 

For example, some organisations are using this massive period of change to create an environment of true insight into their customer’s needs, both externally and internally. By doing this, they find customers recognise and appreciate their drive for service improvement and the improved consistency of the service experience.

Generally speaking, the process of focusing on the customer as well as on the product or service can be a new experience for many organisations. Strange as it may seem, the customer tends to be the last consideration and are seldom involved in the creation of the service process.

Interacting with organisations of all shapes, sectors and sizes, some of the strongest customer supplier relationships I have experienced are with housing associations, care providers and a growing number of universities and colleges. The key with these sectors is that they have recognised the need to sharpen up their service and develop a service strategy which says “let’s do it once and do it right” – helping them to gain impact from the start.

But how can an organisation ensure that they are driving service strategy based on their client need? I believe there are five main focus points to be considered – all of which research shows us are the most important to the general public and are covered in the Customer Service Excellence Standard.

• Delivery
• Timeliness
• Information and Access
• Professional
• Staff Attitude

By robustly exploring these areas your organisation will be putting in place a truly customer-focused approach to service. Alongside an emphasis on developing customer insight, understanding the user’s experience and robust measurements of service satisfaction, you will be helping to bring and keep your customers close in these changeable times. 

Amanda Whitehouse is a specialist in customer service development and its benefits, working with organisations of all sizes and sectors.  

If you would like to explore how developing a customer understanding and working with the Customer Service Excellence Standard can support your organisation to manage change and improve performance, click here or contact idg for more information.