The Importance of Customer Service

"Customer service should not be a department. It should be the entire company." - Tony Hsieh, CEO of the online shoe and clothing company Zappos

In today’s world of auto-everything, customer service has become pretty blah for the customer. They are often surprised when they call into a company and get a real, live person on the phone. How disappointing for them if that person is rude, sounds bored or rushed, or disrespectful. Even worse, when that person answering the phone belittles the customer, or makes them feel unimportant. Like they are a nuisance. It’s pretty sad.

Customer service is a vital department for a company. If you can win a customer over and make them excited that they chose the right company to provide their product or service, you’ve boosted your company closer to that number one spot. You become the go-to company in your field of expertise. And you’ve probably gained a lifetime customer.

I think that one way to provide excellent customer service is to be excited about the product or service your company provides. Only then can you pull that customer in and end their search. Make them feel as though they can’t wait to receive their product. Can’t wait for your service person to ring their doorbell. Can’t wait for the finished product.

Your customer can also feel confident that they have made the right choice. Make them feel they want to be in your club! Customers like that will tell their friends and neighbors about you and encourage them to follow them to your door.

Another way to win over your customer is to empathize with their concerns. Don’t go into details about your own, personal experiences. Mr. Customer doesn’t really care, nor do they have the time to listen. A very brief ‘yes, I’ve had it happen to me’, or ‘I’ve been in your shoes’ is sufficient. “Mr. Customer, I understand your need, and I am confident that I have the solution you seek.” This kind of response almost immediately puts your customer at ease. They feel a small kinship with you and will be more willing to listen to you as you present your product.

There are many other ways that customer service can shine in a company. There are also many customer service people in every company, as Mr. Hsieh suggests above. If the entire company pulls together and makes customer satisfaction the main goal, your company will stand out among all the others.