This article is from key points that emerged at a recent meeting of the Customer Service Training Association chaired by Don Hales:
1. Recession creates opportunities as well as threats – an organisation with poor customer service stands less chance of benefitting from the opportunities
2. During a recession there are likely to be more floating customers around, looking for a better deal and better service for their money
3. Staff motivation will be improved and attrition reduced if they can see that the organisation still cares for customers
4. It is a good opportunity to prove wrong those who doubt the value of customer service. If an organisation can keep their customers during a recession, they will outshine their rivals
5. During recession, your training pounds go further (try it) so you can invest in customer service training. Better service now = more happy and retained customers now and better placed for future
6. This is a good time to improve processes and efficiencies. There may be more time and staff accept the need to change more readily
7. With unemployment likely to rise, it is an opportunity to raise the recruitment bar. Invest in the best!
8. Now is the time to develop your best people. They will appreciate the attention and improved skills and remain loyal. They will be even more energised in difficult times and unstoppable when the recovery comes
9. Invest where it makes a difference – this applies to customers as well as your staff. A concession or a joint investment (training, marketing promotions etc.) will be far more meaningful now that a “jolly” in times of plenty.
10. Staff, at all levels, are less likely to leave in times of recession. This is a good time to train them (not necessarily expensively – teaching each other to widen skill sets costs nothing).
11. Better skilled staff reflect confidence in the organisation and this shines through to customers and potential customers
12. During a recession, sometimes everyone is not so busy with “must do now” jobs. This creates time to spend with staff and customers and to listen to their ideas.
13. Improving service sends a strong message to everyone about the organisations beliefs and prospects.14. The stronger your customer service now, the better you will benefit from the eventual recovery (and it always comes – these things are cyclical, if not predictable as regards timing.
If you want to comment on the above – please contact Don Hales on don.hales@worldofcustomerservice.com
Don is the co-author of Wow thats what I call Service
Hi,
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. I feel tremendous competition in every sector has made it mandatory to live up to each and expectation of every single customer in order to retain year after year and attract many more eventually. Make use of the best customer service training program.
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