The best customer service is not to
have any incidents with your products or services requiring customer
service.
When needed, however, customer service
is about solving a problem or answering a concern – promptly and
completely. Here's two approaches.
My smartphone has numerous apps and it
gets a notice when apps are updated. Recently when clicking on an
app update button, I got a message that it was not available from the
app store (even though they sent the update notice). I sent an email
to get help and got a prompt 'personal' response from Justin – an
automated help desk response to gather more information.
When I sent back the information,
Justin came back asking for more. Took 4 times and I got a link for
the app update – but it did not work. I deleted the app – too
much work for too little results.
At Zappo
Shoes, the staff answers the emails, immediately dispatches
replacement shoes if there's a problem, and openly solicit &
display compliments or complaints - they learn from both. Growth in
sales and customer satisfaction hits the top of the charts. It's
easy and almost fun to get help here.
As more business is done remotely, it
may be easy to rely on automation to handle routine or simple
problems, but the high cost of this approach is losing contact with
the customer. One of the most effective ways of knowing about your
customers' experience is to use your product or service – the next
best is to hear where they have problems or concerns.
Always wise to keep in mind that the
customer is not a problem or a distraction. Perhaps doubly true if
you don't see them face-to-face.
Over 30 years ago, Steve Jobs, when asked if Mac technology would render human interaction unnecessary said, "Hi Tech creates the opportunity for high touch." Go Zappos!
ReplyDeleteOver the past 30 years we have created a generation that will sit beside each other and text or IM the other person.
ReplyDeleteWe also have many approximations and inferences about our customers' needs and preferences - with way fewer in person meetings and direct conversations.
Jobs saw the potential of high touch - perhaps we have inadvertently moved it too far from the personal touch. Sticks out like a beacon when we discover it, doesn't it?