Improving customer experience is strategic asset to build on

In previous columns I have described how the components of overall responsiveness, knowledge and empathy are three of the four main components of an excellent customer service experience.

The fourth foundational component is the effectiveness in solving the customer’s post-purchase problem. If any of these four elements are missing, you are highly unlikely to deliver superior customer service.

An important premise is the product or service being sold is of some value to the customer and has some level of quality. This is important because if the product is faulty, the customer service representative’s job becomes that much more difficult. Understanding customers are often emotional when contacting a company with a problem is also important.

Customers want to be treated with respect and feel appreciated.

Therefore, solving a customer problem is the value provided by the company and the related emotional support that reinforces the initial customer-buying decision.

Companies now use digital (chatbots) and artificial intelligence tools to speed the communication process with their customer for many basic questions. But, if the issue is not resolved, the tools are not effective — despite the apparent efficiency.

I recently had to contact a local telco because someone had marked our yard with flags and spray paint. After two weeks of inaction, and no notice in our mailbox, I contacted the telco and used its chatbot. After 10 attempts on my part to ask the chatbot if I could move the flags to cut my lawn, I gave up and waited for an actual human to answer the question.

In my work with companies, I see there are three main steps leading companies use to ensure effective problem solving.

First, confirm the actual problem that needs solving.

If there is a simple problem, the employee needs to solve it quickly. With complex problems, customer service employees must begin with the proper mindset of wanting to ensure positive outcomes by correctly identifying the severity of the issue. Train them to probe politely to gather more information or clarification to ensure they are identifying the real problem and its impact on the customer.

Second, ensure your employees have the knowledge, ability and empowerment to present a solution. Training in product knowledge is essential. How to deal with an issue, how to ask questions and actively listen to the response and how to ensure they are effectively managing the customer’s emotional state are also important. Customer service jobs are sometimes stressful and a leading organization knows how to support its employees. This approach can help reduce turnover and build a powerful customer-centric culture.

Third, follow-up and confirm with the customer that they are satisfied with the resolution. Customer follow-ups are extremely useful in situations where the company wants to ensure a complex problem has been resolved.

Please don’t send a “would you recommend us,” one-line survey after a tough call because you will likely receive an emotionally-charged response that is not beneficial to your team or reputation. However, sending a detailed customer satisfaction survey can be beneficial to the company as the customer will likely provide a detailed response. If a minor problem was solved quickly and created a satisfied customer, a follow-up is not likely necessary.

Integrating this problem-solving approach with the other three customer service foundations will improve the value of your brand, gain respect and support from your customers, and build relationships that are hard for a competitor to break.

Leading companies know effective and efficient customer service experiences lead to superior financial results because customer turnover is reduced, satisfaction is increased and employees will enjoy a challenging and supportive work environment. This is hard to achieve and harder to maintain, but the results of this winning game plan can provide a differentiation that cannot be easily copied by your competition.

Tim’s bits: A bonus point to effective problem solving is the approach and solutions provided can be shared with all employees for future reference. Reviewing this information can result in changes that eliminate some problems from occurring in the future. These changes often provide the impetus for product improvement, product line extensions and new product introductions.

Tim Kist is a certified management consultant, authorized by law,

and a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants

of Manitoba

tim@tk3consulting.ca