Main Idea
When was the last time that you dealt with a customer service representative who really took care of you? What was the difference between that person and someone who failed miserably? Is there any difference in technical training?
Expansion of Idea
How we service our customers is critical to our survival in this crazy economic environment. I would contend that there are two types of people in our organizations, owners and employees. The only difference between the two is an attitude of service. If you own a business, you are going to make sure that customers are taken care of properly. Truly great companies hire employees who have this ownership mindset. They view serving their customers as a privilege that they want to keep. They make sure that their customers are served properly. And if there is a problem, they stick with it until it is completely taken care of.
I just got off the phone with a representative of a major brokerage firm. I have been trying to get an account transferred for three weeks. I called last week and I thought it was taken care of. Instead they did something completely wrong. They were able to fix it, but the whole problem is a function of follow through by their representatives. I have made five or six phone calls to take care of something that should have only taken one call. Everyone makes mistakes. The difference between great companies and everyone else is how you deal with the mistakes. Do your employees own their jobs? Do they take pride in what they do? Do your customers get a thrill from dealing with your company? What could a change in attitude mean to your business?
Suggested Areas to Start
Define ownership for your job.
Define ownership for the people who work for you.
Empower the new owners to take care of the customers.