By Andrea Applegate – The Oxford Dictionary defines customer service as “the help and advice that a company gives people who buy or use its products or services.”  I feel I hear more and more; “customer service has become a second thought instead of a priority.”  Are these workforce issues? Yes!  Are there supply chain issues? Yes!  Those two examples in themselves do cause a significant amount of stress to a business and their employees, but is it the customer’s fault? No! 

I write this because I strongly believe  in great customer service.  Great customer service doesn’t have to always be an “over-the-top” event, but rather a simple “thank you” or “is there anything else I can help you with” in a kind tone and with a smile.  Customers are doing us a favor by utilizing our goods and services; it should not be the other way around.  Personally, I know working directly in customer service that customers are not always the easiest or nicest to work with, but that is a discussion for another time!

Leaders need to look at customer service training as a living, breathing thing. It is a muscle that needs exercised or it will atrophy.  Make customer service techniques a part of your regular conversations with staff.  Add scripting to their dialogue so a consistent message is delivered to your customers.  Set standards and expect them to be followed.  Have conversations with employees when you hear of bad customer service experience and ask them if they understand what they could have done differently. Nobody is perfect and backsliding is inevitable, but recognizing when great customer service is lacking and fixing it will be priceless. 

“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job to make the customer experience a little bit better.” – Jeff Bezos, Founder Amazons