On a recent business trip I rented a car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Overall their customer service was great. However, they did something that reminded me of that fact. How did they remind customers of their great customer service? They simply asked a question.
As I was leaving the parking lot, the attendant at the gate asked me “how was our customer service?” That caused me to reflect on my experience thus far and I realized that it was really good. I stated as much and drove on my way.
When I returned to the airport when my trip was ending, the Enterprise folks checked out my car and got my paperwork finalized. At the end of that interaction, they again asked “how was our customer service?” It was great so I again stated such.
The question that Enterprise asked is a very powerful tool that you can use in your business. It is important to note, that Enterprise has a big focus on customer service and isn’t afraid to ask this question. Your business will need to be willing to accept the customers’ answers and adjust accordingly.
Remind Customers
Asking customers the question “how was our customer service?” forces them to think about their interactions with you. It helps remind customers of the good moments of customer service they have enjoyed with you and reinforces those memories.
If you never asked this question, the customer may very well move on with life and forget just how great your service is.
The trick when asking this question is that it is built upon the assumption that you actually have to do something memorable.
Opportunities for Improvement
A second benefit of this mighty question is that it enables a follow-up and more learning for your business. If the customer answers something other than “fine”, “good”, “great”, etc. you can ask for more details. Try something like “where did we not meet your expectations?” or “how could we have done a better job for you?”
The answers to the follow-up questions will give you plenty of areas to improve your service and the quality of interactions with your customers.
Even if you want to focus on the positive points of your service, you can ask “what did you find most helpful today?” You’ll then know what to continue doing in the future with other customers.
You can remind customers of your customer service, and learn a thing or two, by following Enterprise’s example and asking “how was our customer service?” at the end of your interactions with customers.
I agree with you that as companies grow, service is often one of the first areas to suffer. The larger the number of employees, the less drive and determination they have to make sure each and every customer gets a great experience. Building a large customer-focused company is not impossible, though.
It’s imperative that the founder of a company hires and trains his service reps personally, and indoctrinates the customer-centric mindset in them right from the beginning. I’ve made sure to do that as my own company grows, and it certainly has helped us meet our customers’ needs. We need to teach not just what to say to people, but how to deal with pressure situations. A good customer service rep can turn an angry customer into a happy customer – nearly every time.
The service environment as a whole is becoming more difficult. Studies have shown that almost half of customers would switch products based on poor support. Today’s customers are more informed and more demanding. Customer service is no longer an afterthought – it’s a competitive tool that’s intimately connected with marketing and sales teams. Customers are forward thinking – they take service into account when making big purchases, and they will choose the product backed up by better service when they can.
Businesses need to invest the time, energy and effort required to bring in the right people and the right organizational tools to get customer service right.
Thanks for sparking the conversation!
John-Paul Narowski, Founder – karmaCRM
@John-Paul – thanks for bringing up the point about top-down leadership with regards to customer service. It must be, as you noted, a directive from the founder or CEO that customer service is an important part of the company and culture and not just a cost center.
Thanks for writing Joe. I agree too that asking customers about their service experience is a great way to remind them of a positive. It’s especially helpful if you have great service.
If you don’t have great service, I still think it’s worthwhile to ask. Why? Because it shows them you’re listening and are trying to change. It allows you to get feedback that you can use to reevaluate your service structure and train your employees. It also keeps you in the loop – often times a company can perceive their service as excellent when, in fact, it is lacking.
Would you handle that the same way – or other thoughts?
John-Paul Narowski, Founder – karmaCRM
@John-Paul – I definitely like to always be learning as a business. Getting feedback from customers is a good barometer of how things are really going. The insights you get from those comments can springboard your business to just the right changes it needs to make.
I like the point in this article about asking customers “how was our customer service?” Not only does it get the customer to think about their interaction, it also encourages us as service providers to listen and be willing to act on the feedback we receive. As the CEO of a family run business, I feel strongly about my customers being completely satisfied, especially since our interactions are big ticket purchases. At my dealership, I have red phones throughout the facility that customers can pick up and be connected directly to me. It rings to my cell phone and I answer it. We’ve had great feedback from our customers who have used the red phone. One person even picked it up to see if there was really someone on the other end! We’ve all experienced how frustrating it can be to try to reach someone in charge. Many companies leave us lost in automated voice mail or make it impossible to speak to management. At my dealership, we try hard to make our customers’ experience as pleasant, convenient and easy as possible. I am sure there are areas that me and my team can improve on and this article reminded me of the power of asking the question and the importance of then listening to the suggestions the customer provides.
@Gary – I love your red phone idea from your dealership. Thanks for sharing your experience. When a business can open up and not only solicit customer feedback but also act on it, you’ve set the stage for significantly better customer loyalty.
If you ask you better prepared to deal with the answers, for better or worse. Customers want to be heard, especially when they are being asked to offer their opinion. The worst thing a company can do is ask for feedback and fail to act on it.
@Trish – Absolutely. The company needs to close the loop with the customer. Tell them: Yes, we got your comments, thanks for taking the time to let us know. Here’s when you’ll see the change, or here’s why we can’t address the issue right now.
RED PHONE ?
It reeks of not being aware of what is occurring in your domain !!!
Why would any sane person choose to use it?
Sounds like a life threatening environment.
Maybe 911 would be a better option.
It’s a sad commentary on doing business.