Too often, companies view their customers through the cold, dispassionate eye of a market analysis or a balance sheet. We count them, we segment them, we compete for their attention, but too often they remain faceless cash flow units in the eyes of the corporate bean counters. You can get away with this in the board room, but if you want to maintain and expand your collection of faceless cash flow units over time, you better make sure that somewhere along the way your customers get the impression that your company sees them for who they really are – regular people with important needs they want someone to understand and fill.
Customers don’t go to board meetings or read balance sheets. They determine the value your company has to them on the basis of the quality of their interactions with your products and your people. For most customers, their decision to become a loyal, repeating customer can often be traced to a handful of “critical moments” – it really only takes one – when your company either did something really right for them ? or didn’t.
The first thing to keep in mind is that a critical moment is just that – a moment. It isn’t the way that a customer service transaction plays out from start to finish; rather, it is a point of contact between your customer and your company that leaves a lasting impression. These critical moments begin occurring the minute your customer pulls into your parking lot, dials your customer service number or logs on to your website. To the degree that they feel safe, welcome and at ease, these critical moments are favorable to your company. However, it only takes one unpleasant or confusing moment to alienate the customer.
For instance, a friend of mine recently walked out of a local auto dealership – even though he was ready to buy a car that day – because the sales manager was dismissive and abrupt regarding the value of my friend’s trade-in. My friend bought a car the next day from a different dealer, even though the amount he was offered for his trade was exactly the same as the first offer. However, the second dealer took the time to carefully explain to him why the offer was less than he expected, and offered to work with him on the price of the new car to compensate for the low trade-in value. My friend felt valued and supported by the second sales rep, and is thrilled with the deal he made, all because of the different manner in which each dealer handled the same critical moment. Smart companies recognize the power of these brief, critical moments, and try to identify every point of contact they might have with their customers in order to turn each of them into positive experiences.
Customers evaluate all critical moments on the basis of three basic criteria:
Attentiveness – Kind, considerate, prompt response from a CSR will go a long way toward convincing the customer that the company values him and understands his needs. This immediately puts the customer at ease and helps him to feel confident in doing business with you.
Helpfulness – Is the CSR taking me seriously and doing everything possible to address my need?
Dependability – Will the CSR – and the company he represents – follow through on promises made and do things right the first time? If a mistake is made, will they fix it promptly and courteously without making excuses?
Critical moments can also involve the complex interaction of three different planes of customer needs. Critical moments can occur on each of them.
The Practical Plane – The needs on this plane are what move the customer to contact you in the first place. He is searching for a product or a service to address a practical need for himself, his family or his business. My friend wanted to buy a car, so he went to a car dealer. Your customer didn’t just randomly dial your number or walk into your place of business for no reason. He has a practical need, and he is hoping you can offer him an effective solution.
The Personal Plane – However, the chances are pretty good that you are not the only company on the planet who offers this product or service. In addition to a product or a practical solution, every customer needs attention, respect and understanding. My friend found the perfect product to meet his need at the first dealer, but this dealer failed miserably at meeting his customer’s needs on the personal plane. The customer felt disrespected, so he walked out the door and took tens of thousands of dollars with him.
The Invisible Plane – This plane is harder to define, as the name implies, but it is actually very important. Much of what goes on in the customer service department of your company goes on behind the scenes – there are rules and policies and supervisors that impact how you respond to customer requests. The customer doesn’t see or understand any of that; he only wants a prompt, fair outcome that will meet his need. To the degree that you can work through or around those invisible factors in order to deliver a helpful solution to your customer, you will be creating a positive critical moment. Also, your customer has invisible issues, too – maybe financial, emotional or logistical – which might influence his reaction to you and your company. As you ask careful, considerate questions, you may be able to uncover important information that is not immediately obvious, but which can go a long way in helping you meet the customer’s true needs. Creating a positive critical moment at this level can win you a customer for life.
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January Customer Service Quick Tip of the Month – Apologize First, Ask Questions Later
Some days, being a CSR is like being the oil filter for your company’s sales engine. It is your job to deal with many of the problems that occur after the sale, clean them up and smooth them out. The chances are then, that the next call may come from an unhappy customer who has a problem, and he wants it fixed NOW. From your point of view, the entire situation may be the result of a simple misunderstanding, or it may even be the customer’s fault. However, your first job in those important opening moments is to listen to your customer’s problem and apologize unconditionally. This isn’t hard. Try something like, “I apologize for the (inconvenience, confusion, difficulty, etc.), and I assure you I will do everything I can to help you.” Your apology will put the customer at ease and make it easier to ask the important questions that will help you solve the problem.
