Don't Ask Me.......I Just Work Here!

"I don't know….I just work here"

Sound familiar?

This statement gets repeated (not necessarily in those exact words) on a daily basis in different places of work around the world; I know because I used it often in my early working life as a way to explain why I did not have a response or was unable to calm an irate customer who was complaining about the company policies which seemed to work against them. Whilst it may have been true, that was the worst possible answer to give a customer who is unhappy with either your product or service.

Customers are the reason why businesses exist and serving and meeting the customer’s needs becomes the core business for any company. We all know this in theory but the reality is that in practice, we don’t always follow through. Ever called a company and when you explained to the person on the other end your issue they quickly told you to hold the line while they put you through to customer service? Or when you visited an establishment and came through the gate on foot rather than by car and were interrogated by the security guards in a manner likely to suggest that you are an idler who had nothing better to do and just stumbled in.

My take: Customer Service is NOT a department but a job for all – right from the security guards at the gate to the CEO of the company.

Maya Angelou said, I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Think long and hard about the best and the worst service experiences you have ever had: what were the highlights and lowlights? What made them the best or the worst? If you are truly honest with yourself you will find that it all boiled down to the feeling of well-being, care, professionalism and accurate delivery of the product or service.

You may be wondering…..if we all focused on responding to customer queries and complaints then what will the guys in customer service do with their time? The answer to that is the same thing they have done all along but you will have happier customers who will be more willing to refer your company, business, product or service to their friends and family – and that is the kind of customer we all want.

 How then do we move forward?

• Know your customer

We often think of our customers as the people out there who keep us in business and while that is true, I think the definition of the customer is a bit broader than that – our customers are our workmates in other departments who rely on us to provide them with some information or form of support, our customers are the suppliers who make the products we sell, our customers are front office staff. In short, think of the customer as anyone on whom you have an impact; an impact that is eventually felt by the CUSTOMER out there.

• Attitude change

Once you have identified your customer you must change how you think about Customer Service. Good service will no longer be the thing that is offered by Customer Service Department or the Call Centre but will become your ability to meet and exceed your customer’s expectations; understanding that in the bigger scheme of things each department is interlinked and will ultimately lead to the CUSTOMER out there.

• Know your products and services and know them well

If you answered a call from an unknown person who is asking for directions to your place of business, would you know how to direct them? Okay, so that was an easy one. Say you work for a bank in the administration department and you received a call from a customer who was asking about the difference between your different accounts or whether they should take a loan or a credit card, would you be able to direct them? Ordinarily, the answer to that would be no and you would default to the standard response (please hold while I put you through to customer service). Chances are customer service lines are ringing off the hook and the customer has to hold for an additional five minutes before they get an agent to respond to them.

How much more powerful would it be if you not only knew the response to their questions but could also connect them to the person who could open an account for them, help them apply for a loan or credit card and follow up to make sure it goes off without a hitch? What am I saying? Be proactive; take time to understand what your company has to offer and be ready to respond when called upon – it could make the difference between a promoter (customer who would recommend your product or service to others) and a detractor (customer who would not recommend your products or services to others). Remember, you are more likely to remember and tell others about your horrible experience at restaurant X rather than your fabulous experience at the same restaurant.

• Understand your processes

One of the most frustrating things for a customer is to be hit with your company jargon and then told department X is yet to respond to department Y so that department Z can close out the query. When the customer gets in touch with us, the person who answers the phone becomes the company – it does not matter to them that it’s not your job. This means that you need to understand your systems, processes and procedures so that you can respond appropriately when that moment comes.

• It’s OK to refer

You may have taken time to understand what procurement does, where the administration team sits, the different products and services you have to offer or how long Finance takes to settle an invoice but the truth is, on some days you will just not be able to respond fully to the customer’s query or complaint and having done all you will be required to refer. There is nothing wrong with referring – it’s all about HOW you do it. First, respond with a smile (yes, we can tell when you are smiling from your voice), ask the customer how you may be of assistance, then you must really listen while they tell you, repeat back to confirm your understanding before lastly offering to refer them to the correct team or give them feedback at a later time.

Parting shot: Customer Service is NOT a department

Great Service begins when each person plays their part – from the security guard at the front gate to the CEO on the top-most floor.