The client is the foundation of any new and repeated businessâ success.
As a consultant and trainer who provides consultancy and training solutions for companies on building positive client experiences as one of our business growth recommendations, I am naturally more aware and attune to the service standards I receive in my daily living.
Because I interact often with service teams, I understand the difficulties and challenges faced by them. As such, I strive to be a good client.
When I experience positive customer experience, I will (1) thank the staff and share my experience with them and (2) make the effort to write in to the management to commend the staff.
And I would like to encourage you to do likewise. We are often quick to complain but truly slow to praise. It can make a difference to that employee who made the effort to provide excellent service. On one occasion, after I wrote in to commend a manager and her team, the business owner gave the whole team an increment in salary. I learnt this when I bumped into that manager and she joyfully related the story. It took me just 20 minutes to craft the email, the outcome (unexpected) was absolutely worth it!
In this quiet economy where customers have myriad of choices and are tightening their belts, it pays to pay attention to your customers.
What puzzles me is the companies who do not even bother replying to the commendation emails that I sent. The email address and the intended recipient (either business owner, manager or customer service feedback)Â will be accurate as I would have checked that with the service staff.
If your customer has made the effort to write in to commend your staff, this is an excellent opportunity to strengthen the relationship and create brand loyalty. It is also an excellent opportunity to recognise your staff member and strengthen employee engagement.
The following is an example of a reply that I recently received.
Dear Bernadette,
Thank you for shopping at Takashimaya and your kind compliment towards our promoter, Ms Liyi, who attended to you on 25 September 2016. We are very glad to learn of your wow experience shopping with us.
We had since, conveyed your appreciation to Ms Liyi and had also share to the Department of your compliment toward her during our morning briefing.
Thank you again for shopping at Takashimaya and we look forward to serving you again soon.
Thank you and regards,
Eugene Chin
Sports Department
Takashimaya Singapore Ltd
It felt great when I read the email as I am glad to know that Ms Liyi’s effort was recognised. It is excellent how it was shared with the department as this would be a refresher reminder to the team on providing positive customer experience.
What’s telling is that it also demonstrates the importance that Takashimaya places on customer experience. I was told to write in on the general feedback form found on Takashimaya website. My email was then passed onto the relevant department.
As a customer of Takashimaya, this reply reinforced the positive feelings I have of shopping there. It increases the likelihood of me repeating my experience and recommending the place to others.
In this quiet economy where customers have myriad of choices and are tightening their belts, it pays to pay attention to your customers.
When your customers do write in, please reply to
them.
If it is a compliment, you will strengthen the existing relationship. If it is a complaint, you have been given a chance to turn your upset customer into a fan. Either way, it is an opportunity to create a positive moment of truth. Seize it.
For ways to design a positive and engaging customer customer experience, contact us to find out more.
We were at a department store recently and saw a T-Shirt that we like. We couldnât find the right size on the rack and looked around for a sales assistant. No one in sight. So I approached the cashier.
âHi miss, could you direct me to where I could find your colleague to look for a t-shirt size?â
âAll the sizes are out on displayâ.
We checked the mannequin and the t-shirt was the right size. We finally found a sales assistant. He said he will check in the store room for the size first.
There was a size available.
For the cashier, it was the easy way out.
For the department store, it was a lost sale that was recovered by the customersâ determination and the service attitude of the second staff.
Insights gleaned:
đč All employees need to understand the impact that their actions have on the business. Their care-less attitude affects the profitability of the business which determines the status of their employment.
đč All employers need to consistently coach their employees on business building/ service and to recognize/ reward those who perform.
đč Refresher trainings and coaching is important as complacency and a jaded attitude may set in for long time employees. Advice from the supervisor when we chatted with him to compliment the second staff.