It is common to offer the promise of consistently good service to customers. It is rare, however, to actually receive it.
There is ample evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, that providing a high standard of service wins loyal customers. However, many firms misunderstand the lessons of good service, ending up alienating customers for life.
- Service is an integral part of the value proposition, not something that occurs after the check has been banked. All too often sellers view service as a necessary cost of business, rather than an opportunity to imbed it as part of the value delivered. In the right market, and with the right offer, good service can be a differentiator. Just ask Hilton and Marriott.
- Good service is how the market and each customer defines it, not how the company defines it. Good service is decidedly not the practice of automotive dealers requesting – at times insisting – that buyers award them “excellent” ratings across the board when contacted by the manufacturer.
- Promoting the expectation of good service, and not delivering it, is worse than creating no expectation at all. If you click on the link above, and sort on the service ratings, you’ll notice that banks and cable companies score the highest “Poor” ratings, and that airlines score the fewest “Excellent” ratings. Now, really … are you surprised?
- Good service is created by the entire company, starting with the CEO. It is not something that is created by the marketing department using images of happy models basking in the delight of dealing with the company.
- Great service is a philosophy that applies to every transaction – and every engagement with the customer – and not just at time of sale. If providing great service is not a cornerstone philosophy of the CEO, a company would do well not to make it the centerpiece of its offering.
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