Customer Service is Still King

By: Julie East, Corp. Marketing & Recruiting

Aug 17, 2021


We all have that one story of THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE you have ever received! It spreads like wildfire! It doesn’t matter what your business model is – manufacturing, shipping, logistics, legal and, of course, retail – customer service is a very large part of the success or failure of your business. Many businesses are finding unique ways to strive for superior customer service over their competitors since business owners who understand these priorities are more likely to be leaders in their arena. So how do we capture this customer service magic?

 

#1: A CLEAR DIRECTION  

It might seem obvious that the first step should be hiring people with great customer service skills, but that’s not the case. First, the company needs a clear direction that customer service is part of their culture and that customers are their FIRST priority. A few companies come to mind as it relates to customer service. Aside from Lofton, the top two for me are Chick-fil-A and the Walt Disney Company. Both companies have strong customer service training as an integral part of their core model.  

The founder of Chick-fil-A, Truett Cathy stated, “Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else—our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.” That positive treatment of its customer base, wherever they interact with the brand, goes a long way to support the family-friendly, values-centered store image of this fast food service chain.  

There will always be times where your business runs behind schedule or faces unexpected costs, such as when a noonday rush of customers overwhelms your staff, or a vital piece of equipment fails at the worst possible time; but having a clear, customer-centered focus already established in the company’s culture provides a firm foundation for action, and helps alleviate stressful situations.

 

#2: HIRE QUALITY PEOPLE  

Now that you have established a clear customer service plan, you can seek out quality people to deliver that vision to your customers. This means hiring employees who go beyond having the skill set necessary for the job. The ideal employees also have the interpersonal skills that go beyond a resume. After all, a person can be extremely skilled at their job and still be bad for business.  

For example, you have a forklift driver who is great at their job, has had no accidents, and is efficient, but they use foul and inappropriate language in front of customers and staff.  This can send a negative message through the local grapevine and tarnish your company image. However, if that same position is filled by someone who has a smile, thanks the customer and staff, and responds quickly to requests, it creates a positive experience and has a positive effect on your business. As Walt Disney himself once said, “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world … but it requires people to make the dream a reality.”

 

#3: DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISES  

Anyone can say they have great customer service, but living up to that statement isn’t always easy. It starts with training employees on your customer service plan and ensuring they have the ability to follow through on it.  Successful companies have a culture of service in place where front-line employees can make decisions on the spot.  

Zappos is another company known for being a leader in customer service. Their core value of the “Triangle of Accountability” gives all employees the freedom to do whatever they feel is right to help the customer. Instead of spewing policies, employees are encouraged to do things like offer free exchanges, send gifts to customers, or provide free expedited shipping. “We want every person and team at Zappos to have the minimal number of constraints that enable maximum freedom, but also maximum accountability.”

 

#4: KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER NEEDS  

You have a successful customer service plan…at least, you think you do.  Do your customers feel the same way? It’s easy to become complacent. Even your most loyal customers can move away or switch providers. To keep your customer service at its best, you need to know if your business is actually delivering what it has promised. Try using third-party survey companies to target your customers and obtain gainful insight to the good and bad of your business.  

Lofton Staffing & Security is always learning and growing from conducting annual surveys though an independent survey vendor. Every year, Lofton partners with ClearlyRated to send our current customers and talent a survey to rate Lofton on several key factors, including customer service. We take the good with the bad, using the data to improve our service.  

As Bart Lofton has said, “We have always strived to be more than a staffing company, but a true staffing partner to our clients as we help them navigate hiring and staffing solutions. ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing surveys not only help us measure how we are doing, but how we can do better to serve our clients and employees!”

 

#5: SPREAD THE WORD!  

As you know, news of negative customer service spreads rapidly.  On the other hand, most customers who have a positive experience with your company won’t say anything. They are happy! But having those customers with positive experiences make referrals or give reviews is key to growing a customer service image.  

In this digital age, having customers share their experience with friends and colleagues is important. They can send your website link via a digital messenger or invite friends to follow your business Facebook page, Twitter account or Pinterest board. Successful service businesses are easy to find on multiple platforms, including social media, Google Maps and Apple Maps.

 

About Lofton: Founded in 1979, Lofton Services offers clients the best of all worlds. We provide the responsive, personal service and flexibility of a small local firm while having the technology, resources, and infrastructure to deliver the benefits of the biggest players in our industry. Lofton Staffing can deliver the right people, with the right skills, right when you need them. Contact us today

 


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