12 Aug The art and science of delighting customers
The art and science of delighting customers
“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts,” Jeff Bezos founder, chairman, CEO, and president of Amazon.
Regardless of the size or type of business, intimately understanding your existing and potential customers and the service approach that best suits their needs and expectations, is critical to surviving and then thriving in business.
Delivering a premium customer service experience is a fusion of art and science; it is curated with detailed planning and delivered with purpose and intention. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to the customer experience and businesses need to be more adaptable and responsive than ever in the age of social media and customer-led conversations and reviews.
As Suvashree Bhattacharya of Reve Chat highlights, “Customer service, no matter good or bad, has a profound effect on customers long-term buying behaviour. How customers feel after engaging with your brand could mean the difference between a loyal customer who recommends your business to family and friends and one who shares their negative brand experience over social and never buys from you again.”
The way customers engage with businesses and the immediacy of customer service expectations has changed dramatically in recent times.
According to Knexus Group, “15 years ago the average consumer typically used two touch-points when buying an item and only 7% regularly used more than four. Today consumers use an average of almost six touch-points with nearly 50% regularly using more than four.”
Businesses that recognise the evolution that has occurred in customer service and are consistent and adaptable across all customer touch-points, are fairing well.
Singapore Airlines is the world’s most awarded airline and is recognised by customers and industry alike for their commitment to service excellence.
Whether it be the customer support during the booking process, the pre-flight airport lounges, the on-board cabin and seating options; including wider business class seats, the dining and entertainment experiences or the responsive customer service via social media platforms, the Singapore Airlines team appear to be getting it right.
Their Quarter One, 2019 Profit Results demonstrate their successful customer service approach, with “passenger flown revenue up $271 million or 8.8 per cent.”
Software technology is playing a lead role in the way businesses, big and small, service their customers. Salesforce is the world’s number one customer service software application and their value proposition is to help businesses deliver personalised experiences that customers expect by utilising their integrated CRM (customer relationship management) platform.
A staggering statistic cited by Craig Smith of DMR Business Statistics is that 83% of Fortune 500 Companies are Salesforce customers.
When reflecting on your own businesses’ customer service offering, here are eight tips to consider from Suvashree Bhattacharya of Reve Chat:
- Provide real-time support
- Deliver consistent, omni-channel customer service
- Empower your team
- Analyse customer feedback
- Personalise your communication
- Empower your customers with communities
- Under promise and over deliver
- Listen to your customers.
When Mike Sims, Owner & Founder of ThinkLions was asked to share his favourite customer service quote, he offered these words from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”
The Flexispace team, located at No.1 Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD, are committed to providing a premium customer service experience to our valued clients. If you have any questions or feedback to offer, we would love to hear from you. Visit the contact page on our website and select the communications channel that is most convenient for you to get in touch.
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