How you engage with your customers can make or break a business. Responsiveness counts and showing that you care leads to a company culture that clients feel a part of. When you’ve reached that point with a client, they feel a sense of family and belonging as opposed to feeling like just another number. The latter makes you less referable and thereby less profitable (IMHO).
I read this post over at ConversationAgent.com. In it, Valeria Maltoni shares the Ritz-Carlton’s gold standard service values straight from the company’s website:
- I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life.
- I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests.
- I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests.
- I understand my role in achieving the Key Success Factors, embracing Community Footprints and creating The Ritz-Carlton Mystique.
- I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience.
- I own and immediately resolve guest problems.
- I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so that the needs of our guests and each other are met.
- I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow.
- I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me.
- I am proud of my professional appearance, language and behavior.
- I protect the privacy and security of our guests, my fellow employees and the company’s confidential information and assets.
- I am responsible for uncompromising levels of cleanliness and creating a safe and accident-free environment.
This goes into every employee’s handbook. It’s not a list of guidelines. It’s not a list of rules that you have to adhere by. Rather, it’s a list of affirmations and reminders to yourself about who you are, what you stand for and what working at this company is all about.
Sometimes, work is difficult. Sometimes, we let our personal lives spill over into our work lives. I get it. It happens. But at no point should this ever affect the customer. And these positive affirmations serve as reinforcement on how you should and will conduct yourself. Showing that you care communicates attention and regard for the well being of the customer. It connects. And connected businesses are stronger, more referable and more profitable than the non-connected businesses. Don’t you think?
So, what are your customer service values? Following this template, how can you construct a list of affirmations that you can follow on a daily basis to improve how you engage with clients (both on-line and off-line)?
PHOTO CREDIT: Vintage Collective
As you mention, your customer service values should be what your customers value. You want to be able to go inside their heads and no what they want, what they demand out of your products and services. It's empathy or “stepping into another person's shoes.”
Great, great post Ricardo!
Steven: thanks for the comment! And yes, that's absolutely right. You do want to be able to “step in their shows”, know what they're thinking, how they're feeling and deliver on their expectations of service (above and beyond even).