This is the second of three issues of Perpetual Insight dedicated to the series; Customers Don’t Pay For Average. In the previous edition, we introduced the first three key elements required for you and your company to provide a differentiated service experience :

• Customers don’t pay for average.
• Think like a customer rather than an employee.
• You must address your internal service effort before your external service effort will deliver results.

This month’s edition of Perpetual Insight continues to take an intense look at the next six steps, out of the fifteen, associated with providing a proactive rather than reactive customer service effort. Providing exceptional service is not about a fad or a trend that is connected with the difficulties of the economy. It is about truly desiring to set a standard that is reserved for the truly committed. The good news is that the standard is available to any individual or company that sets their direction and actions toward the effort consistently. Get ready to explore how you can apply each of these principles consistently and live out the actions that create a memorable service experience for your customers!

4. Exceed what the customer thinks they are going to receive. Every customer wants a base level of service when they do business with you or your company. Simply meeting their expectations is not enough. To exceed means to delight and to retain. To exceed means to improve sales and profits. To exceed means to have a large group of word of mouth advocates for you and your company. You provide delight by insuring that anyone who comes in contact with your customer is educated in the art of “above and beyond.” Imagine the power of you and your team consistently acting on ways in which you go above and beyond for your customers.

5. Seek a strategic service outcome. In order to view your customers with a strategic eye, you must look beyond the one time sale. Providing strategic service means understanding the sales and profit picture of a customer who continues to do business with you and your company repeatedly. You are looking to establish a life-long relationship of service. A level of service where your customers go nowhere else unless you give them a reason to do so. Tactical, also known as transactional service means that it is all about the one time event. There are many companies who have mastered this mentality. What they must recognize is that while customers may spend their money when they receive a transactional approach, the chances of them repeating their business with you goes down dramatically.

6. Your agenda and the customer’s agenda should match. Think of it like a battery and an engine. If there is a disconnect between the two, your car won’t start. Likewise, if there is a disconnect between what the customer wants, what you want to give them and what they actually receive, the customer service connection is never made and the customer is left feeling short changed and will probably need a jump start to view your service positively. Customers have long memories, particularly when it comes to bad service experiences. You can limit the need for a long memory by making that the actions that you take are in line with providing your customer what they want.

7. Make less service statements. We’ve heard it a thousand times before. With the best of intentions, someone tells the customer what can be done or will be done regarding their particular situation. Statements are made because someone is trying to take care of the customer as efficiently and politely as possible.

The difference with people and companies that provide great service is that they ask more service questions than they do make statements. Put simply, it is amazing what you learn when the primary focus of your service is the customer’s perspective rather than your capabilities.

8. Moving beyond what to why. Understanding the customer’s request, problem or comment gives you general insight into the situation. Understanding and probing for the “why” gives you a broader perspective of the opportunity that they are bringing you. The problem that the customer brings to you is rarely the real concern. There is always more than meets the eyes and ears.

9. Positive Service Messaging. Good news goes a long way and everyone loves receiving a positive response. It’s all about going out of your way to create the “here’s how we can” experience rather than the “we can’t” experience. Customers have a choice. They can buy from you or they can buy from someone else.

Their decision is tied directly to the positive way in which they are treated most often and by whom.

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