Measuring customer service as provided by your help desk agents is the best way to evaluate customer satisfaction. Any business that hopes to grow in size and increase profits must provide excellent customer service. Here are five proven ways to monitor the experience of your customers and improve overall satisfaction:
Go Undercover
Most people have seen “Undercover Boss” on television. These bosses go undercover within their own companies to evaluate their employees. Much like the executives depicted in these shows, you can gain valuable insight by going undercover as a customer. Contact your customer support desk with an imaginary problem and gauge how you are treated. Send a family member into your store to act as a secret shopper. Use the information gleaned to make improvements where needed and to praise employees when deserved.
Utilize Surveys
When used properly, surveys are a smart way to gather information about your customers’ experience with your company. The way you structure and distribute your survey plays an important role in the information that you receive. If your business is primarily digital, email a survey to your customers. If you sell goods from a physical store front, hand customers a survey at checkout and ask them to return it on a subsequent visit. Be sure to construct questions in a way that will give you the information that you are looking for.
Monitor Phone Calls
Whether you are using the services of a call center or have an in-house help desk, take the time to occasionally monitor phone calls. In order to learn the most, do not tell employees when they are being monitored. Monitoring in secret will give you the truest sense of how your customers are being handled. If you discover an employee who is doing an exceptional job, make sure everyone knows about it. If you find that an employee is making mistakes, retrain that employee and monitor him on a regular basis.
Talk to Your Employees
Your customer service agents are not the only people who hear from your customers. Any employee who has interaction with a customer is a potential source of information. Hold a monthly meeting with key employees to discuss customer feedback. Use the information to find out how customers feel about your company. Brainstorm with these employees, coming up with ways to improve customer satisfaction.
Follow-Up with Customers Personally
It’s rare for a business owner who follows up with customers. Dedicate 30 minutes one day a week to conduct follow-up phone calls or to send emails. There’s often no better way to gauge the experience your customers had than to speak with them yourself. Ask open-ended questions to encourage conversation. Ask your customers what could have made their experience better. While some customers will be shy about opening up, others will have much to say. Actively listen to what you are being told and implement changes when appropriate.
You will never know the type of experience your customers have with your company if you do not take the time to find out. By interacting with your customers in a variety of ways, you can gain valuable insight into the way your customers are being treated. Use the information you glean to make necessary changes and to offer praise to employees for jobs well done.
About the Author
Kattia Bolanos is the ARC Pointe Internet Marketer. She also writes articles about call centers, customer support, customer service and help desk support.
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