These days, it’s harder than ever to create a brand solely around your product and/or price. There’s always someone who can offer the same product at a cheaper price; or offer additional items at the same price. If you try to compete you’ll either go broke, or crazy. Using customer service as an extra point of difference can be the key to making your brand stand out way above your competitors.
To successfully integrate customer service into your branding, here are the steps you have to take.
Decide on who your ideal customer is.
What they like, what they’re interested in and what are the important service factors to them. There’s no point offering quick service if your ideal client likes to chat. However, if your ideal client is a city worker who drops in during their lunch break. Then quick service is a huge selling point.
Listen to your existing customers and front line staff.
Ask the customers what they like and don’t like. Ask your front line staff about the feedback they’re receiving from customers and be sure to find out not only what’s being said, but any non-verbal signals that are being given as well.
Choose your focus.
You’re probably going to end up with a long “customer service wishlist” so choose one or two things to implement. Make sure you stick with things that can be realistically changed in your customer service strategy, all the better if they can be advertised as well.
Document your processes.
Write it down, make sure all staff have copies and understand the process. Give all staff the chance to comment on the process and be willing to adjust or change things that don’t work well in practice. Nothing will derail your customer service as quickly as not being able to live up to your promises.
Remember that your customer service brand is often a reflection of the culture within the company.
So if you want to achieve a “friendly” brand – make sure the culture is friendly; if you want professional – make sure the culture is professional. As a leader, it’s up to you to lead from the front to develop the attributes you want to reflect.
Integrating customer service into your brand can seem like a risky move, but as long as you know your customer and introduce customer service practises to give them what matters to them, in the long run you’ll find the ROI is more than worth it. Another benefit is that having a customer service strategy successfully integrated in your brand will build trust, both with existing customers and with new customers. And trust is the umbrella for rainy days… When trust is already established, problems are more likely to be forgiven if there is already a trust in the brand. Of course, the problem will also have to be dealt with, but trust can be the difference between a client just walking away or making angry demands, or having them come to you and work to resolve any issues they have.
If you’d like some more ideas, check out my previous Customer Service posts
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