Copyright: deklofenak / 123RF Stock Photo
Are your service agents’ day-to-day tasks too out of touch with people and, thus, they treat all customers as tasks and not real people with real needs? And has your customer service strategy begun to rely more and more on technology to help with your customers?
Real World Story: Target recently announced that it would get more personal with its customers. The story highlights how it intends to train its service agents to be merchandise experts. This, of course, will allow its agents to engage in a more personal and relevant way with customers. So what can we learn from Target to get customers out of the house and inside our building(s)?
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Experts vs generalists. In large retail stores like Home Depot with its many departments, the need for experts is obvious. However, even a smaller business like a local dentist’s office may require experts. Reception, billing and referrals will have caveats and details best handled by an expert in each area. Are your team members experts in certain areas or generalists who are required to know just enough about everything your company does? The best experience customers can have is to deal with one person and not have to be transferred or handed off from one person or department to another.
- Technology vs in-store visits. Advancements in business technology have been great in the areas of efficiency and speed. But have we ignored our customers for the sake of these advancements? Are we no longer personal enough? Even Amazon, the online retail giant, has started working inside of other businesses like Whole Foods as merchandise experts and opening stores of its own. They have learned that you simply can’t take people out of the equation. Finding a balance that works for you and your customers is now more necessary than ever. Some customers will enjoy the ease of use of your services, but others will want to know a person is readily available when need help. Not all customer wants and needs are equal.
Remember: Customers are actual people. With real feelings. With real needs. Most customers want to deal with people, while others are okay with technology and its speed and efficiency. But rest assured that if something goes wrong, they will want to talk to an actual person who doesn’t treat them like a number. Is your customer service personal enough for your particular customers?
How do YOU ensure that your customer service team members are personal enough when they engage with your customers? Please share your comments and stories.