PSIMay2019

journey needs to buy in to what you are trying to
achieve in serving your customers and in
creating a positive customer experience.
This doesn’t just happen. You have to
articulate the aspects of great customer service
you expect in your business. And you need to
create processes that support that vision and
demonstrate those values.
Take Starbucks and their vision as an
example: “We create inspired moments in each
customer’s day. Anticipate- Connect-
Personalise- Own”
This statement is printed on the inside of
every employee’s apron, and its practical
application is supported by processes such as
their asking for each customer’s name to
personalise each order.
Take Disney and their strong overall sense of
purpose that engages all employees: “We create
happiness, by providing the finest
entertainment for people of all ages,
everywhere.”
Disney’s expert customer service comes from
its carefully designed Quality Service Compass
which includes 4 quality standards: safety,
courtesy, show and efficiency. These standards
guide every employee as they offer quality
customer service.
Develop a clear service vision and set of
values/standards that guide your interaction
with and the customer experience you want to
create for your customers.
Measure and improve
Businesses tend to reach vague conclusions
about the quality of the customer service they
are providing. Few however measure their
efforts. Many consequently overestimate the
service they provide. According to Bain
Consulting, a global strategic consulting group,
80% of surveyed companies claim to give
“superior customer service”. Yet when
customers were asked to rate the service from
these same companies, only 8% agreed that it
was “superior”.
It is important to measure dimensions of
service quality such as – for the security sector:
• Annualised service contract % retention
levels
• First time fix % on call outs
• Speed of providing the quotation after an
onsite survey
• Speed of responding to and resolving a
customer issue or complaint
• Debt over 90 days as % of total debt
• Customer satisfaction score using an online
survey tool after installation completion or
further to a service visit. British Gas is a good
example of a company that does this.
Once you start measuring service quality, you
can develop an improvement action plan. To be
in the business of quality service delivery and
continuous improvement, you need to measure
the service performance, otherwise your
intention and delivery remains vague.
Develop an end-to-end positive
customer experience
This demands attention to detail.
• It requires planning, designing and
embedding an improved process.
• It involves training and coaching staff on how
to give great service at all times.
• It means giving your people the tools to
serve the customers well.
Consider for every stage of the customer
journey; what does the customer expect from
you and how can you meet those expectations in
practical and consistent ways?
Improving your customers’ experience and
retaining your customers are essential for
profitable and sustainable growth.
Correct poor attitudes
throughout your
organisation and
especially amongst
frontline staff
Jim Rathbone is the Managing
Director of Rathbone Results.
Contact him at
jim@rathboneresults.com
www.psimagazine.co.uk
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