Customer Service = Branding?
The best definition of branding I’ve heard is “A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept”. With so many brand promises touting “quality, service, and value,” it’s a wonder why the words even exists. They’re old and tired and it surely doesn’t say much and can’t be trusted any longer. With megalithic communication, energy companies, and big box stores who seeming have a monopoly on consumer choice, could customer service be at an all time low? I hope it’s just not my lens on reality. You’ve probably heard this fact: “It can cost up to five times as much to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one.” I did say monopoly didn’t I…too bad for the rest of us. So, why is it that so many companies promise to deliver customer service but it’s only their lips that do the talking? I’ve come up with a small list of possible answers. That being said…I’d like to hear yours as well. Chime in.
#1 - They Don’t Care
Good God, I can’t fathom. Actually and unfortunately I can. In the case of a monopoly, I can understand how this happens, outside of that, it makes me worried for the portions of the human race that participate.
#2 - They Don’t Know How To Fix It
Yes, some companies are so out of touch with their customers and the problems that exists with their products and services that they are at a complete loss in knowing how to fix their own problems. Or yours, for that matter.
#3 - They Don’t Know What Customer Service Is
“I’m sorry that our installer didn’t show up while you took a day off work and sat on your thumbs waiting. We can be there tomorrow between 1PM and 5PM.” Enough said.
If you work for an organization that has one or more of the above traits as a corporate culture…do yourself (your conscience that is) and their customers a favor and do something about it! There’s right and there’s wrong and you’re smart enough to know the difference. So do it.
Customer service is not just warm and fuzzies, it’s part of building a relationship with your customers. In every business, it’s people that make it; that being said, mistakes will happen. It’s the resolution of those mistakes that makes all the difference. That’s building a relationship built on trust - that’s customer service and that’s branding. Or is it?