What is customer service? customer service is defined simply as ''the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services''.
In offering customer service, the mindset of assistance MUST come first. The service provider has to be very clear on this singular fact, that he/she is there to assist the customer in what ever way they can, to ensure the BEST service is offered. The second key word in defining customer service is ''advice''. This essentially means that the service provider MUST understand that it is their responsibility to advice the customer on the best options or offer the option with the highest advantage to them. This generally suggests that the customer is the ONLY important person in the equation of a business transaction.
A more comprehensive definition of the term states; ''Customer service is the act of taking care of the customer's needs by providing and delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the customer's requirements are met''. This definition of customer services works in three(3) ways;
1. The quality of service before the customer arrives. This is achieved by creating/adopting a mindset that puts you in the shoes of the customer. A business that desires to offer premium services to its customers, must first put himself in the shoes of the customer, and ensure that every member of his staff share same sentiment. It is only when this is achieved that customer service begins.
2. The service offered to the customer when they are in front of you. With the mindset of the service provider being in sync with that of the customer, the attitude of assistance and advice MUST be adopted. This suggests that the customer has to at all times during the service, have all their requests and inquiries attended to with empathy and timely resolutions. It is imperative to note that the services rendered MUST be professional, this simply implies that the services have to be delivered in the most polite, courteous and friendly manner.
3. The impression of the customer after the services offered. If a customer does not walk away from 'your' business with a smile, a thank you, a nod of approval or a return visit, then it can be said that the customer was not offered ''customer service'' AT ALL. Personally,I like to think that there is NO such thing as 'bad customer service'. In my books, it is either a business has customer service, or it does not. Therefore, every business owners 'self-assessment' of their business should be the response from the customer. When a customer appreciates a service rendered, they will return and tell more people about the service of that business.
Always remember that the customer is the reason there is a business in the first place,and NO business can survive without CUSTOMER SERVICE.
