WHEN Margaret Hartley gives her customer service training during induction day at work for new starters… people come out totally enlightened.
Meet Margaret
I wanted to share this wonderfully contagious woman with you readers. So meet Maragaret, managing director of Benchmark Marketing Services… in her own words:~
“I have decided that when I shuffle off this mortal coil and come back (and I am sure I will come back!) I am going to come back as an nPower (or any other Utility for that matter!)– customer service adviser!!!
The reason? They don’t give a toss – they talk to you like you are a child – challenge your authenticity – transfer you into oblivion! - never call back and when they give you their full name – nobody knows them when you call back!!! What an easy life that would be – not to care about customers!
Feeling bad
However, I am very different and I believe – passionately - in delivering good customer service – not only do I train it – I also deliver it from Benchmark.
I feel bad if I do not call back when agreed – don’t answer the phone in three rings – don’t take messages properly – don’t respond to an email within 12 hours or send out a quotation within 24 hours of receipt.
KPIs
Within Benchmark we have KPIs (Key performance indicators) which have to be adhered to – these are totally different from the SLAs (Service Level Agreements) which we have with our clients – they are, in themselves customer service – but they are dictated by the customer.
Key Performance Indicators are controls I put on myself and my staff to make sure that we get Customer Service right.
Rewarding staff
Did you know that 68% of customers stopped using a supplier because of an attitude of indifference shown to them by one of supplier’s members of staff? (Coca Cola)
That won’t happen in Benchmark – I lead from the front and reward the delivery of good customer service with a ‘thank you’ or ‘well done’ and even ‘smiley faced’ stickers!!!
The right one is worth the wait
However – I do spend a lot of time recruiting for the right person and good customer service personnel have a special DNA/blueprint which lets them deliver excellent customer service as easily as breathing – because it is in their genes. As Napolean said: ‘Time spent in reconnaissance is rarely wasted’
Sounds familiar
So? What am I going to do about nPower and the 4 hours I spent on the phone last Friday trying to get my bills and supply sorted out?
One thing I know from experience is that shouting gets you nowhere – but calm, fact (without emotion) is far more powerful.
The answer?
I am not going to let them get away with it and I have gone back to writing a letter and faxing the same letter to register my dissatisfaction. I have names, times and outcomes of every call and I am also clear what I want from them – an apology and a refund of one month’s direct debit payment.
Be specific with what you want
Rule number one of registering your dissatisfaction is: know what you want as compensation. Maybe only ‘sorry’ or promise of good service in the future – but facts and specifics get results.
By complaining ~ you care
There is another statistic that says only 4% of dissatisfied customers complain – the remaining 96% just walk away.
But by walking away you are not telling the company where they are going wrong - so they do not know what to put right!
Great tip
A tip I was told right in the early days of my career is that giving good customer service revolves around one basic principle:
‘Treat others as you want to be treated yourself (and if they are elderly treat them as you would your granny)’
If all else fails – SMILE! Face to face, it is a great first impression and by the telephone it makes the voice warm and approachable.
Either way – have a good day…”
Smile
So there you have it readers, smile and the world smiles with you!
Posted in Observations |