Where Oh Where Has Good Service Gone, Where Oh Where Can it Be?

When was the last time you experienced outstanding, world-class customer service? When was the last time you had a totally satisfying experience as a customer? When was the last time your expectations were not only met, but surpassed?

Well, if you are like me it has been awhile. Actually a long while. Most service encounters I have (from all companies) barely meet my expectations; much less leave me feeling completely satisfied.

Are my expectations or standards to high? Is a sincere smile, a considerate attitude, a genuine caring spirit, or a demonstrated commitment to me, the customer, too much to ask for?

As Tom Levitt said in The Marketing Imagination, “Customers do not buy products or services so much as they buy expectations.” If this is true, then why do most companies fail to understand my expectations? If they don’t understand them, then how can they possibly exceed them?

It starts with belief!

A company can not truly comprehend its customer’s expectations unless they are committed to the belief that the customer is their “boss” and they possess a sincere customer-focused vision. As Sam Walton said, "There is only one boss. The customer! And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."

What do companies believe in? What is their primary focus? Is their focus on increasing stockholder value, on maximizing revenue and profit, on growth, on bureaucracy, or on the customer? Unfortunately, it appears most companies are focused on everything but the customer.

“Your beliefs determine your attitude. Your attitude dictate your actions.” This saying most of us have heard before, but do we fully understand how this can apply to the customer care that companies exhibit? When a company believes that the customer is the heart and soul of their business, it can then create a customer-focused culture within its organization. This will enable them to instill a true spirit of service attitude among all employees. When you combine a spirit of service attitude with a genuine appreciation for the customer, the service which is rendered is nothing short of spectacular.

The company that believes and practices a “customer-first” philosophy will constantly try to exceed a customer’s expectations during each encounter. A funny thing happens when this occurs. A satisfied customer is created. The more satisfied a customer is, the greater chance the company will retain the customer. The longer a customer is retained, the more loyal he becomes to the business. The more loyal he is, the more money he spends.

The cycle continues from customer service to customer satisfaction to customer retention to customer loyalty.

It all starts and stops with customer service, which is born from a company’s core beliefs.