These days customers reward those companies that satisfy their needs and reject those that are not responsive to their needs and expectations. This article will take you through the process of setting up a customer service initiative in your company starting with an assessment of your current customer service approach, a determination of what your customers’ requirements are, creation of a customer service vision with customer-friendly policies, methods for dealing effectively with your customers, and advice for educating the rest of your organization to carry through your customer service focus.

• What is Customer Service?

Customer service is meeting the needs and expectations of the customer as defined by the customer.

‘ Meeting the needs and expectations of the customer ’ means you know what your customers want, what they expect, and you provide that to them on a consistent basis. And to know what your customers want, you have to ask them!

‘ As defined by the customer ’ is the key phrase because it says if the customer does not perceive you as offering good customer service, then you are not. The customer is the judge here; no matter how good your internal records claim you are, the customer is the only voice worth listening to. So in order to have an effective customer service initiative, you must know what your customers want, provide it to them on a consistent basis, and ask them how you are doing. (more…)