Making life easier for customers

Brain research shows that purchasing decisions are mostly made unconsciously and are almost always emotionally influenced. Of course, the basic performance must also be right for a company to even be considered by customers. But high product quality only makes satisfied customers - not loyal ones. This requires an emotional connection.

Service quality plays a decisive role in this, as confirmed by a study published in 2017 by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). It is the most comprehensive study to date on the topic of customer service in the German-speaking world. More than 3500 private individuals and 100 company representatives were surveyed for the study. One of the central findings: Customers who describe themselves as fans of a company do so primarily because of customer service. Product quality is only the second most important factor for customer loyalty. Price even plays a subordinate role.

Stand out from the crowd
According to the study, many companies misjudge the success factors for loyal customers. They mistakenly assume that great products are what turn customers into fans. Companies are therefore well advised to invest more in service excellence Those who make life easier for customers at every point of contact, take care of them and offer them real added value with their service stand out from the crowd.

Friendly employees form the basis for this. But service excellence requires even more. It must be a supporting pillar of the corporate philosophy and serve as a management approach. When a company introduces the concept of Customer Service Excellence, it is tantamount to organizational development. First, the structures are reviewed and optimized. Then the company adapts processes, technologies and personnel development - always with the focus on aligning the entire organization for top performance.

Adjustments at three levels
By adapting their processes, companies ensure that customers can easily place their concerns through their preferred communication channels. This ensures a premium customer experience at all touchpoints. The service excellence concept serves as a driver for continuous process improvement.

The adaptation of the technologies, in turn, aims to implement the desired multichannel support in everyday life. In particular, data on customers such as their history, preferences and wishes are recorded centrally and made available to all employees with customer contact in accordance with the one-view-tothe-customer principle. Customer inquiries, regardless of the channel through which they are received, are entered into the CRM system by the employees. Self-service technologies are also needed: Customers are given the opportunity to use services around the clock via a customer portal.

The most important adjustment is that of personnel development. The management approach of Customer Service Excellence helps to strengthen the relevant competencies in a targeted manner. In doing so, it is important to consistently take the customer's point of view. Customers are not interested in internal responsibilities, for example. They experience the company as a unit. As a result, every negative or positive experience reflects on the entire company.

Binding service levels
Managers act as role models by showing their appreciation for customers and employees. Their behavior promotes awareness of service excellence among the team. Another building block is binding service levels, compliance with which can be measured. The incentive system should also be aligned with this - with salary-relevant service quality targets. At the same time, Customer Service Excellence requires room for maneuver for employees. In many situations, customers expect flexible solutions away from rigid guidelines. Treating them individually as a person strengthens customer loyalty. But to achieve this, the company must give its employees the necessary autonomy.

Promoting personal responsibility
This is also demanded by one of the pioneers of Customer Service Excellence: Horst Schulze, co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton hotel group (see infobox). One of his most important management principles is that every employee makes a guest's problem his own and solves it on his own responsibility. This succeeds if employees are encouraged and enabled to do so.

Specific training provides confidence in dealing with individual customer needs and shows the scope for action. The more authentic and empowered employees are, the more appreciation they show to customers. Progress along this path can be measured and should be communicated regularly. It is best for the company to appoint a person at management level who is responsible for implementing the customer service concept. After all, although customer service excellence is developed by the entire team, it is a matter for the boss.