BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Think of some of the great businesses currently around - the ones you admire, even envy and they all have one thing in common. They all have developed a sophisticated and focused customer service strategy. This is no accident. The emphasis on customer focus is usually the central strategy of such businesses. It dominates everything they do. They really want to create a culture where the overriding objective is to make the customer experience absolutely sensational. Few achieve it all the time, but the mere fact that they constantly strive to achieve such customer delight, (note not customer satisfaction), is testimony to their success.

How often have you dealt with a business only to feel that they "don't care". Is it any wonder that you probably feel disinclined to use their services again.

Developing a Customer Service Strategy should be one of your main objectives irrespective of what type of business you operate.

Your commitment must be absolute and tangible. Here are some of the things you need to do:

	Let all your team members know what you’re seeking to achieve.
	Get them involved in establishing performance standards for customer service.
	Make customer service issues a regular item on your meeting agenda.
	Deal with all problems that arise in the business by raising the question, "What solution is in the best interest of our customers?"
	Establish a system for rewarding people in your organisation for delivering outstanding customer service above all other performance criteria.
	Encourage discussion feedback from your team about the standard of service.
	Spend as much time as possible in direct contact with your customers, seeking to identify their needs and frustrations.
	Set up a system for measuring the impact of your CSS.

In the meantime, read the story of Don Beyer Volvo who have taken customer service to the extreme with dramatic effects.

Similarly, in the UK Carphone Warehouse are attempting to instill a customer service strategy in everything they do.