All businesses should want to deliver an exceptional customer experience, but actually accomplishing this goal desire takes a lot more than good intentions. We have to do more than simply express our intention to improve, recognizing that meaningful progress requires a strategic approach and sustained effort. As Shep Hyken, a customer-experience expert, explains in his blog titled “Change Requires Choice (and Work),” you have to start by asking the right questions:
- First, what makes you believe you need to improve?
- Second, what would happen if you were to do nothing and keep everything the same?
- And third, what does success actually look like?
Answering these questions it he first step towards building a solid foundation for change.
Easy Questions, Tough Answers
Improving customer service starts with knowing where you currently stand. You will need to gather data, including customer feedback, service performance metrics, and employee insights. You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken, so you must identify the areas in need of improvement.
Next, consider the potential consequences of inaction. If your customer service is, to put it delicately, underwhelming, then you risk losing customers to competitors who are more attentive to their needs. Failing to act will lead to a gradual erosion of your customer base, brand reputation, and your bottom line.
Once you’ve identified what’s wrong, the next step is to define what success looks like for your business. This isn’t about setting vague goals like wanting better customer satisfaction. Instead, you must aim for specific, measurable outcomes. Examples of these include reducing complaints by half, seeing a 25% improvement in add-on purchases, getting at least another 10 referrals in a month, and so on.
Action Plan
To achieve these goals, create a detailed action plan that includes investments in training, recruiting the right talent, and ensuring that your leadership team is fully committed to this process. Remember: change is a journey, not a one-time event. It will require the alignment of time, talent, and tenacity to succeed.
Improving customer service is more than just paying lip service to the idea; it must result in the commitment of resources, time, and effort. Your business needs to evaluate its current service levels, set clear goals, and take concrete steps towards achieving them. But don’t forget that change won’t happen overnight, as it’ll require sustained effort over the weeks and months to come. You’ll need proper leadership buy-in, proper planning and a willingness to invest in the right resources and people. Only then can you truly elevate the overall customer experience and earn the growth and success that all businesses seek.
To that end, we encourage you to reach out to us at The Brandt Group. Our world-class mystery shopping services, customer and employee feedback tools, and leadership courses will empower you and your team to take these next, crucial steps on your journey to real change. Let’s take the journey together, and build your sustained success on a bedrock of customer loyalty and growth.
