10 Customer Service Quality Statements to Measure up Against

It might sound quick and simple, to say how well your business does in satisfying it's customers. Hearing such as:-

"We're increasing our turnover by 14% year to date"

"Our customer complaints are now less than 4% or our transactions"
...might sound like music to your ears, but that's just the time you need to be very careful.

A regular measurement of where you are as your organisation, not depending on some of the easy-to-fake figures, might just make the difference in how well you are doing now, and into the future.

Try these quality statements and set up a mechanism whereby you review them monthly - yes, that's right, monthly. This needs to be thorough and objective. And maybe even the scores made by a cross- section of your people in all areas of your business - then you get objectivity and a true picture of how you are scoring. It is a great activity to score each of these out of 10, make a tracker month by month and each time you review, ask yourself the question:-

"What would we need to do to move our score up by 3 points"
Do it point by point and then, after you have that 3-point question, work out a monthly action plan, so that step-by-step, you gradually improve. (Note:- If you are too near a score out of 10 to have three points to go - upgrade your statement!).

Then and only then will your improvement be sustainable and you can reset the questions over time to a higher standard. Then you truly will be The Best in class!

The Quality Statements:-

  • We use a variety of staff to monitor customer service on a regular and consistent basis

  • We know and can clearly state our customer groups

  • We listen to customers about our products and proactively seek to redress issues

  • We notice and congratulate our people and teams when they perform well

  • Senior management are fully and visibly engaged in customer activities

  • Our people enjoy the challenge of changes

  • Our organisation and our people have aligned values

  • Our customers find working with us easy and pleasurable

  • We know how our people feel about working here and always respond to make it better

  • We have teams and individuals who can respond quickly to changes circumstances, whatever they are Keep a track of these - visually represent it somewhere very publicly for your people. Involve many of your them in monitoring, finding solutions and taking accountability for change, where needed and your business, your people and you will thrive.

    One final point. Starting is good, being able to demonstrate your success in 12 months is another thing - as is still doing this review at that time.

    Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-busin esses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

    ...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...

    In The News:

    • pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Are You Giving Your Customers Enough Reasons To Return To Your Business?

    Good customer service just isn't enough anymore in the marketplace... Read More

    Modern Call Center Solutions - Keeping in Touch is the Key

    Call center solutions solve a range of age-old problems. As... Read More

    Customer Neglect

    What have you done for your existing customers lately? Probably... Read More

    How To Use Your Current Customers

    Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More

    It?s Customer Service Stupid: Delivering Customer Service Training That Sticks

    "Society is always taken by surprise at any new example... Read More

    4 Tips Toward Overcoming Bad Customer Service

    Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not... Read More

    Client Appreciation - It Means Everything!

    Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More

    Have You Hugged a Customer Today?

    It all started a couple of weeks ago when a... Read More

    Setting Up a Customer of the Week Program for a Mobile Car Wash

    In a mobile detail or mobile car wash business you... Read More

    CRM = Customers (dont) Really Matter

    CRM was supposed to bring companies closer to their clients.... Read More

    Dissatisfied or Rude Customers Can Be Satisfied Customers

    On a recent airline flight I was an upset... Read More

    Dont Eliminate The Middle Man - Add One

    Today, there are situations when we actually add a "middle... Read More

    Breaking the Ice and Winning Over the Client!

    Wherever you turn these days you'll find articles covering every... Read More

    The Nine Principles of Customer Service for the Travel Industry©

    If you want to learn how to get your clients... Read More

    The History of CRM -- Moving Beyond the Customer Database

    Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of those magnificent concepts... Read More

    3 Special Benefits Every Customer Wants

    Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More

    If Everyone Thinks They Give Good Service, Why Do We As Customers Think Its Poor!

    First of all let's look at what customer service is... Read More

    How Not to Get Stiffed, Improving Your Collection Procedures

    Some businesses have slow paying customers or past due balances... Read More

    Customer Service, the Internets Primary Neglected Business Concern

    Customer service is everything to a business. Just look at... Read More

    Your Career Plan--Think Like A CEO

    You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More

    How Do You Create Customer Loyalty?

    Another sad fact of life is that these days, very... Read More

    CEM Can Improve Customer Loyalty

    'A 5 percent increase in customer retention increases profits by... Read More

    Can Three Words In Websters Dictionary Be The Key To Customer Loyalty?

    Are you concerned about customer loyalty? Are your customers so... Read More

    Leverage Customer Capital First

    If you're still dreaming about raising outside capital for your... Read More

    What Every Employee Should Know About How to Prevent Customer Service Conflicts

    There are five techniques that have been proven to be... Read More

    Dealing with Disgruntled Customers

    No matter how hard you try, in business you simply... Read More

    Customer Service: Stop Sabotaging Your Customer Relationships

    If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with... Read More

    Top 10 customer service tips

    1. Hire people who have a service attitude. Some people... Read More

    What Exactly is Customer Relationship Management?

    The defintion of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) that I favor... Read More

    Take Care of Yourself Before You Take Care of Your Customer

    One of the most important questions people ask when they... Read More

    Passing the After-Sales Test

    Some time ago a major UK food retailer decided to... Read More

    4 Customer Service Mistakes Companies Should Avoid Making

    1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love... Read More

    Clients... and 38 ways to communicate with them

    As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It... Read More