Popular Customer Service and Long-term Value
Fanny packs were once trendy, so was Zima, rollerblades, and Hacky Sack. Some things we don’t see very much of anymore, at least for now. Is there such a thing as popular customer service? What are the trends?
Give-away items have been popular for building sales and relationships. Fidget spinners even made their mark in 2017. The water bottle has been popular, and almost everyone has a pen with a slogan, name, and web address. The give-away seems to change but the concept may stay close to the same.
Bell Curve
Entrepreneurs are always interested to find the next great thing. The dream is to be on the left side (start) of the bell curve, ride it on its climb, and get out before the decline begins to show itself on the right hand side. Things are great, nearly magical if you are on the correct side of the curve.
What works well for customer service? What is the trend? Should you join in?
Long-term Value
In some regards, the customer experience is situational. What works at the restaurant is likely different from the bank or at the hotel. There are differences for organizations depending on sector, trade, or even geographic location.
Make no mistake about it, service and its connection to sales and relationships make it a very popular pursuit. Yet many claim that customer service has been weakened in the past decade or two through price and profit wars. Contrasting that weakness may be a renewed need.
Customer service is often viewed as the short-term fix, but when you put financial numbers to it, the ROI is in long-term value.
Popular Customer Service
Perhaps one thing is certain, what is popular or trendy today, won’t be tomorrow. Popular is a good idea, but it is also not permanent. Popular means you are riding the bell curve and it keeps you searching for what is next.
Customer service isn’t really a trend, and perhaps it shouldn’t be viewed as popular, it is a cultural value that builds brands.
Or else, it doesn’t.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
2 Comments
Dennis Gilbert
November 2, 2017at 8:55 amLove this comment Gil! Especially the closing!
Gil Longwell
November 2, 2017at 7:50 amGood, i.e., successful, customer-retaining customer service is not trendy, or fashionable…it is essential.
A discount for bad service does not constitute customer service. It an exchange of money from the service provider to the customer in exchange for the customer’s acceptance of the disappointing experience delivered.
Business may buy silence, but they cannot purchase loyalty and good will “at any price.