Providing great customer service along with a great product that’s priced right is a fantastic combination that will lead to massive growth. A company with legendary customer service is able to compete with large companies that spend more on advertising. Amazon is a great example of this. They often get your products delivered to you faster than the promised delivery date and provide an easy-to-use returns process.
Southwest Airlines was ranked first in the customer service category of the 2013 Airline Quality Rating report compiled by Purdue University and Wichita State University. Southwest Airlines consistently earns the lowest customer complaint rate among airlines. Their website says, “We like to think of ourselves as a Customer Service Company that happens to fly airplanes (on schedule, with personality and perks along the way).” That is a great saying that all companies should aim for.
These two companies have used legendary customer service to dominate their niche and build very profitable companies that customers are very loyal to and employees love to work for.
Aiming for legendary customer service is a goal that can sometimes seem almost impossible to obtain. But it does give your employees a goal to live by that eliminates complacency. Everyone who works with customers understands that every customer should be treated as a family member or friend.
Delivering legendary customer service is more than just being polite. It starts by understanding what great service is from the customer’s point of view. Providing legendary customer service means exceeding the customer’s expectations by such a large measure that the customer notices it, remembers it, and willingly brags to their friends about how well they were treated. Hitting this level of customer service creates fans who rave about you and will never be swayed by competitors who are spending lots of money on fancy advertising.
At least once a year you should do a complete customer service review focusing on striving to improve your level of customer service. Study every facet of your interaction with customers and look for ways you can provide the type of service that will turn your customers into fans.
Yes, it is a lot of work. But the rewards are well worth it. Of course, you could just wait for your competitors to figure out how to do it themselves and let them steal your customers. The choice is yours.