Guest Blogger:
Mitch Bryant, Enterprise Support Services Manager, Norton Healthcare
Okay, sounds a bit Trekkie, but I believe this is a true statement. The year is 2287, and the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) is enjoying a vacation. They unexpectedly find themselves dealing with a newly built starship shakedown cruise that goes poorly while it undergoes repairs in space dock. Sound familiar to some experiences you have encountered when receiving service and support? Or were you “a member of the crew” and you had to provide support for something that has not gone through its full “shake down”?
As goods and services become a global commodity and your competition can do potentially what you do cheaper, faster, and better what is the final frontier for you? How will you compete? The answer to that question hopefully is in the Service and Support you can provide. Studies show it costs more to win over a new customer than it does to keep a current customer.
Technology is a constant changing part of our jobs and we tend to train for that, but sadly we also seem to leave behind those essential skills needed to handle the other part of the support call – the soft skills necessary to be successful.
The key to customer satisfaction and retention is to consistently deliver a level of customer service that anticipates and hopefully exceeds the customer’s expectations. Placing a value on that support directly affects the bottom line. Think not, do the math – take 5 percent of all calls away and apply that negative value to your bottom line.
Soft Skills can make that difference, they can provide that “value added” premium you need to compete against a global market ready to take your place in line… In an ever changing world that moves at the speed of light there has to be a single constant that survives and it has to be service.
Customer service has to be the one product you concentrate on the most and achieve success with. Not only must customer service be your primary product but the entire customer experience must be successful from start to finish. Service and support sustains and grows the business. So it has to be the one product you maintain as the most important frontier you have. So are you on a shakedown cruise still working out the bugs or are have you and your crew moved onto building those priceless relationships?
Mitch, excellent post!
Do you really mean that customer service might be a service differentiator? Ah, come on!:)
Have you ever noticed that we never hear of a CEO trashing the need or the importance of customer service, but the number of terrible IVR menus and speech recognition systems seems to expand? Interesting how that works, isn’t it?
Glad you’re blogging for HDI!
Great job,nice blog, congratulations!