FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tom Ellis
July 09, 2004 Ellis Communications, Inc.
Phone: (417) 881-5635
Email: tom@elliscomm.com
PHOENIX, Ariz. – There isn’t a telecom in existence that doesn’t make a mistake
from time to time that impacts customers. The questions is, are they properly
reactive in solving the problem and are they proactive in their service so that
customers always feel they are treated well?
“People are loyal to a business when they feel they’ve been treated well and
receive good value for their money,” says David Saxby, president of
Phoenix-based Measure-X, a company that specializes in helping telephone
companies improve their customer service and sales. “The reality of our
economic times tells us that building loyalty is more important now than ever
before.”
Saxby offers the following
tips on proactive and reactive customer service.
Reactive customer service comes after the fact.
Reactive service comes after a customer has a problem or complaint or is
generally dissatisfied, Saxby says. “This type of service is in reaction to
your customer and, therefore, is likely to be affected by both parties’
emotional states,” he notes.
Proactive customer service may come before or after the
fact. “But it is always about taking action to improve the customer’s
experience and outcome,” Saxby explains. “Proactive customer service
anticipates the customer’s current and future needs.”
Proactive service begins before the customer walks in
the door. Proactive service means your telecom is already prepared to do
everything to satisfy and keep the customer, Saxby says. “Review all the
activities at your telecom and examine how well your employees perform to
satisfy customers,” Saxby suggests. “Go well beyond just handling complaints,
providing refunds and smiling at customers.”
Proactive service means going out of your way for the
customer. “Do everything possible to meet your customers’ needs,” Saxby
says. “Sometimes that means making decisions that benefit customers even at the
expense of the company.”
Customer service is often viewed as a complaint-handling
system. Customer service is a marketing technique, Saxby notes. “If you
develop customer service and customer retention programs, you will reap benefits
in many ways – increased sales and profits, happier employees and customers,
less stressful work environments and more time to think creatively and
proactively,” Saxby says.
Only 4 percent of customers complain. Your telecom
may never hear from 96 percent of its customers and, of those who are unhappy,
92 percent may just quietly go away because they feel complaining will not do
them any good, Saxby says. He notes that complainers are more likely to
continue doing business with your telecom than non-complainers.
Most complainers end up staying with your company.
“Fifty-four to 70 percent of complainers will do business with you again if you
resolve their complaint,” Saxby notes. “Up to 95 percent of these customers
will refer new customers.”
“Take a close look at all of your processes and procedures
and at the interactions your staff has with your customers, both over the phone
and in person,” Saxby suggests. “If you were to step into your customers’
shoes, would you be satisfied with the way you were treated?”
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Measure-X is a measurement, training and recognition company that specializes
in customer service and sales skills. For more information on Measure-X,
call 888-644-5499 or visit its Web site at www.measure-x.com.
