Customer Service D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y

Practicing the eight features of service D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y will help your customer service representatives go to the top of the league.

“D” is for Dedicated. The moment a customer needs help, the dedicated customer service representative swings into action. The customer should be made to feel that he is priority number one, not that he’s on the bottom of a list and will have to wait his turn.

“E” is for Empowered. The empowered customer service representative is given what he needs to be able to provide outstanding customer service. Empowerment begins with training, the provision of tools, and the recognition of individual potential. Empowerment is nurtured by showing trust and support, listening to representatives and helping them resolve problems, and removing any obstacles or conditions that make their work harder.

“L” is for Linked. The members of a customer care team must work together and share information. Great customer service cannot be achieved by individuals working in isolation. Linking should also extend beyond the team to include all other employees of the company in mutual support. A company with employees who work together for the mutual benefit of the company and its customers will quickly rise to the top.

“I” is for Informed. In the past the customer service department was often neglected by management. Representatives, seen as workers at the bottom of the totem pole, went untrained and uninformed. Today more and more companies have realized the importance of these front-line staff and are treating them like royalty. After all, they are representing the company not only to established customers, but to new and potential customers as well. How customers are treated is how business goes. Customers deal first with customer service representatives. These representatives should receive thorough training on the company’s products, systems, policies, and procedures. They should know how to solve problems, what to do when a customer has a crisis, where to find needed information, when to ask for outside assistance, who to contact in specific situations, and how to build customer satisfaction and trust. They should be informed in all aspects of the company and its products and services.

“V” is for Valued. Before customer service representatives can value their work and your customers, you must show them that you value them. If they feel like valuable employees doing work that is valued, they will produce far greater results than if they feel insignificant in an insignificant job. You can emphasize that you value them by providing training, asking for their opinions and feedback, responding to their needs and questions, acknowledging their contribution, praising them, and offering financial incentives to the degree possible and other rewards. Rewards might include gift certificates or small gifts on appropriate occasions.

“E” is for Experienced. An experienced customer service representative learns to be knowledgeable but not overly technical with customers. He or she shows confidence but not arrogance, friendliness but not familiarity, helpfulness but not insistence, and attentiveness but not intrusiveness. The representative may be smartly dressed but never overpowering. It takes experience to automatically strike the right balance and quickly shift to a new balance for the next customer.

“R” is for Representative. The customer service representative should always act in the best interests of the company. From personal appearance to speech and action, the representative should project a strong, positive image of the company and a sincere interest in helping the customer. At the conclusion of a contact with the representative, the customer should feel happy about doing business with a company whose employees are warm and friendly as well as efficient and knowledgeable.

“Y” is for “Your” Responsibility. The customer service representative accepts responsibility for his role as a front-line representative for the company. He knows that to a customer, he IS the company.

Not just customer service representatives, but all employees of a company are responsible for delivering good customer service, and delivery means being a dedicated, empowered, linked, informed, valued, and experienced representative who accepts responsibility.


 

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