What is service really all about? I’m not claiming this is a comprehensive list, I’m sure there are customer service gurus out there who would have more to add, but in my experience working with businesses I’ve bottled it down to these simple tips: 1. Creating clear expectations From what you promise on your website, to how you contract with clients be clear about what they can expect from you, as well as what they need to do to get the best from your service. If you analyse dissatisfied clients or clients that defect you can often boil the source of their satisfaction down to a failure to set clear expectations at the outset. Be aware that you set expectations from your first contact with a prospective client. So, if you respond to their initial enquiry at the speed of light they may well expect a similar velocity once they’ve become a fee paying client. Not an unreasonable expectation actually. 2. Meeting your promises Clients frequently bemoan the fact that their solicitor doesn’t return their calls or their accountant takes weeks to respond to an email. Well aside from the fact that these clearly aren’t great levels of service, the dissatisfaction could be resolved by setting and keeping to a clear set of service standards:
Clients will forgive you if you keep them informed, what they hate is silence or worse still a sense that you are occupied on some other ‘more important’ matter. If you are in the habit of responding to sales enquiries quickly but then fail when it comes to service delivery you may need to rethink your approach. Respond in a timely fashion, yes, but make sure you have systems in place to ensure your service delivery meets similar turnaround times. Or at the very least tell your clients what your turn-around times will be, and then stick to them. 3. Never, and I mean never, promising to do something asap! These four little words, as soon as possible, create so much angst between clients and professionals I think they should be banned! You need to be clear in agreeing turn-around times, and often this doesn’t need to be as quickly as you might think. I’ve worked with professionals who have assumed that every client wants an answer by return of email. That’s not always true. It’s always helpful to ask their deadlines and if necessary explain the constraints. Yes, we’ve all had clients with unreasonable expectations, but most clients will be understanding – what they want to know is when you will get around to dealing with their request or issue, and when they can expect a reply. To me asap means immediately, within the next hour, or next day. To the person saying it it might mean, ‘when I’ve finished this big case’, ‘when I can fit you in’ or simply ‘get off my back, I haven’t got time to even think about you just now!’. In my experience asap is dangerous. Whilst it might be said with the best intentions, it doesn’t create an action on the part of the person saying it. It’s so much better to say – ‘let me look at my diary or work plan and figure out when I can complete this task’. Diarise it and make sure you do the job when you said you would. Not only will the client get what they want but there’s actually an enormous sense of satisfaction in delivering on a promise. 4. Anticipating client needs When we appoint a professional, we expect them to look out for us. So if I appoint an accountant I expect them to advise me of any financial, VAT or tax issues that might affect me or my business. That includes changes caused by the budget or new ideas for tax savings and so on. When I appoint a financial advisor I’d hope they would regularly review my situation and advise if I need to review my choices. So that assumes they will keep in touch with me and prompt me with reasons I might need to undertake a financial review. I want them to show a real interest in me or my business. I would like them to really understand me, to be able to suggest ideas, products and services I might be interested in – that probably goes beyond their own discipline as well. I don’t want them to contact me only when they want to sell to me. By all means market relevant things – but show me you understand me, by demonstrating the benefits I will get. I firmly believe as we enter the challenges that 2011 will bring, client service is going to become more and more important. As clients look to tighten up on expenditure, as they have a little more time or inclination to shop around, and as they hear from a multitude of social media how some firms get things so much better than others, your business could really benefit by looking after the clients you have. Set clear service expectations, meet your promises and anticipate and fulfil service needs and clients will show greater loyalty, be more likely to make recommendations and if you really get the anticipating needs part right they’ll spend more with you too. Further reading: Value your customers in more ways than one Three steps to avoid losing customers
As a marketing coach Teresa works with new marketing managers and small business owners to enhance their marketing performance. Contact Teresa on 01789 740396 or by email. Practical Marketing is emailed monthly to subscribers. If it has been sent to you in error we apologise. You can unsubscribe here. For more ideas, tips and articles visit www.secondopinionmarketing.co.uk ©Second Opinion Marketing 2011. All rights reserved. Second Opinion Marketing 73 Banbury Road Ettington CV37 7SR Written by Teresa Harris, Second Opinion Marketing. Teresa is an independent marketing consultant working with professional practices, small businesses and public sector bodies to develop effective marketing plans which achieve their business objectives. ©2011 Second Opinion Marketing. All Rights Reserved.
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