Be a top 10 company in customer service

When looking at the 2011 MSN top ten companies in customer service, you’ll notice that what the companies have in common is they think about the customer and care about their employees. It seems so simple, so obvious, yet why do so many companies get low marks for customer service?

Let’s start with how you treat your employees. Do your employees feel valued or like dispensable help? Are they allowed to have input in the organization or is your organization autocratic? Do you praise and recognize hard work, innovative ideas, kindness and courtesy or are those positive behavior ignored? Do you keep your employees informed on management decisions or do you keep secrets?

Are you expecting your staff to deliver great customer service, but not giving them the training and reinforcement they need to do so? Your staff needs to know what is expected of them and the tools to deliver. Training and reinforcement are key.

Does management role model their commitment to great customer service? A former Nordstrom employee shared that what she remembers the most about the President at the time, Bruce Nordstrom, was him picking up an empty pop can in the store and throwing it away. He didn’t yell at the employee for not noticing it and he didn’t think it was beneath him to pick it up. He just did and moved on.

Want to be a top ten business in customer service? Figure out where you need help and commit to fixing it. If you are interested in offering customer service training please contact me, we can discuss a customized training for your staff.

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