From research shows that customers want a simple, quick solution to their problem. To keep meeting that need, you must establish a vision for customer service that is viable. Setting a vision is one thing. In this blog, we’ll tell you what else to look for.

Irresistible customer service essential

A good product or high-quality service alone won’t get you there these days. If you want to retain customers, irresistible customer service is essential. Research by Zendesk shows that half of all customers go to a competitor after just one bad experience. Three quarters, on the other hand, are willing to spend more money if you offer a positive experience. So your customer service is the best way to differentiate yourself. The fact that far from every organization can pull this off indicates that it is not as simple as it seems. By creating a good customer service vision, you make it a lot easier on yourself. It starts with a realistic plan, concrete goals and inspiring values that your team can relate to.

Connect your own values to trends

A good vision for customer service gives your employees something to hold on to, with every new customer contact. It reflects your customer’s needs, your organization’s values and mindset, and gives a clear picture of your goals. In addition to your own values, of course, it is also important to pay attention to trends. For example, it appears that 69 percent of customers highly value self-service solutions, such as live chat, social messaging, a help center or peer-to-peer communities. Who wants to stand in a queue to speak to an employee today? Yet less than a third of companies offer self-service channels. So, room for improvement.

In practice: Apple’s customer service vision

Apple employs a handy acronym when it comes to providing a handle on customer service employees:

• ‘Approach’ – Welcome your customers in a warm and personal way.
• ‘Probe’ – Probe exactly what the customer is looking for.
• ‘Present’ – Offer a solution that your customer can apply immediately.
• ‘Listen’ – Listen to objections or problems and find a solution.
• ‘End’ – End the contact with a pleasant farewell and invitation to feel free to visit again.

Connects to daily work

If you’re working to create a good customer service vision that will benefit your employees, connect to the actions your people take every day to keep your customers happy. This doesn’t have to be in the form of such a clever acronym, of course, but make sure you have easy-to-remember verbs that your people can remember well. And above all, don’t forget to ask your employees for their input. After all, they do the work; they have the most valuable input. This can be done, for example, through – online – meetings, evaluation forms, suggestion boxes, questionnaires, one-on-one conversations. This way you not only get the best ideas, you also create more support.

Include the entire organization

The employees on your customer service team are at the forefront of customer contact. But don’t forget that every department plays a role when it comes to a good customer journey. From the purchasing department to marketing to the tech department to HR staff. Perhaps most importantly: the management team. Every employee is watching how management is doing. So set a good example by making customer service a priority and by consistently following your own vision in it.

Good listening

The most important thing when getting started with a customer service vision is to look closely at your customer. Unfortunately, there are no ready-made formulas; every customer and every organization needs something different. Listen to your customers, listen to your employees and set a vision that sets your company apart.

Curious?

That ideal customer journey, the optimal customer experience, is the primary factor by which you can differentiate yourself from the competition. It determines the future sustainability and success of an organization, both in the short and long term. Do you also want to stand out in the market? Then contact us without obligation. We will gladly work with you to find the ultimate solution for your customer contact center. Want to get acquainted first? Stay informed by signing up for our newsletter.