How do we break this to you gently? You may be just a little bit ‘last week’.
You’re doing a great job but the modern test of how well you’re really doing is not the service you deliver – it’s what the customer feels about it.
Sally Johnson is an Edinburgh-based business guru who sits as a non-executive director on the board of half a dozen international companies. She says it’s her job to challenge the companies she works for on effectiveness and ethics.
“We no longer judge a company on its customer service, but on the customer experience,” she says.
“In other words, it’s the feeling they get about dealing with your company that matters.”
Changing your focus from ‘customer service’ to ‘customer experience’ is about seeing the job through fresh eyes.
So before you embark on your next fantastic career move with s1jobs, why not ask yourself how you, too can deliver a better customer experience?
To help, we hit the streets to ask shoppers who they think is getting it right.
Jenny Clark from East Kilbride told us: “The staff at Marks & Spencer in Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street are fantastic. They’re always friendly, cheerful and helpful. They are particularly kind to elderly customers and always have time for a chat. I always come out feeling better than when I went in.”
Marion Watson from Paisley, who had just stepped out of the Taylor Ferguson salon, said: “I go there not just because I get a great haircut but because the service is fantastic. They make you feel really welcome. If my mum comes with me, they give her a coffee and a comfy seat and make a real fuss of her.”
David Leach from Rutherglen was shopping for a new sofa. “John Lewis is my first port of call for just about everything,” he said. “They don’t try to talk you into something but they do give really good advice.”
Finally, Catherine Donaldson from Dumbarton had an unusual customer experience champion.
“It’s my dentist!” she said. “She cares for her patients in a way I think is quite unique. I’ve a medical condition that affects my teeth and she will fit me in at any time and even calls when she is on a day off to find out if I’m alright.”
So there you have it. The secret of delivering a great customer experience is to treat everyone like they truly matter.
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