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Branson voted Britain?s best ambassador of customer service

Sir Richard Branson is Britain’s best ambassador of customer service, according to a poll of experts.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos took second place in a survey by the Institute of Customer Service.

The survey participants are all customer service professionals taking part in the 9th annual National Customer Service Week (October 5-11).

Jo Causon, the Institute’s chief executive, says it is no coincidence that Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos topped the poll.

“They are both renowned for high service standards in their fields,” she says. “Sir Richard is often prepared to take the customer’s side, while Jeff Bezos broke the mould with Amazon, by developing the blueprint for effective, personalised, online customer service.

“And our latest research of 25,000 consumers saw Churchill achieve a world class score for customer satisfaction, so perhaps Churchill the dog symbolises a company which puts good customer service at its heart.”

Jo Causon believes customer service is the vital differentiator in business today and says those who recognise the talents and contributions of all their staff will motivate their people, improve customer loyalty and boost profits.

“The key to success is to treat customer service as a culture, not a department. You must listen to your customers, deliver on your promises, invest in your staff and be prepared to evolve to meet the changing needs of your customers.”

Research shows around 90% of customers are likely to tell others about a bad customer experience, but satisfied customers also tell other people, therefore generating new business.

More information is available on National Customer Service Week at www.nationalcustomerserviceweek.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .