Customer Service as the key differentiator

Companies need to quickly address the customer engagement preferences of the Millennial demographic or risk going out of business as per a study by Aspect Software.

While companies need effective strategies for all generations, they can’t afford to ignore the increasing buying power of Millennials - this generation is poised to outspend boomers by 2017. Millennials are not afraid to take their business elsewhere if left unsatisfied. The study suggests that companies willing to embrace integrated omni-channel support and self-service will have a competitive advantage over firms that choose to rely on traditional support channels and technologies.

Key findings from the study include:

• Customer experience is increasingly defined by customer service: 76 percent of all generations view customer service as a 'true test' of how much a company values them.
• And nearly a third of consumers would rather clean a toilet than talk to customer service.
• 56 percent of Millennials moved their business from at least one company in the past year due to poor customer service.
• Consumer preferences are not being addressed: 73 percent of consumers said that they should have the ability to solve most product and service issues on their own.

Here are a few tips to deliver a vow experience to your customers from the entrepreneurial giant Zappos (acquired by Amazon):

1. Be authentic.
   Authenticity goes further with customer service than perhaps any other factor. Whether you’re tackling customer service on your own or your company is large enough to have a staff helping to cover the calls, emails and live chats, you need to deliver a consistent, authentic service experience. Much of this starts with your customer service department, but it also depends on you as the founder. What cultural values are you instilling in your staff that will help them to, as Tony Hsieh puts it, “Deliver wow” to your customers? How much are you empowering them to make the right decisions without micro-management or oversight? For example, can employees authorize refunds, reverse fees or provide any other financial reversal services without management oversight? If you don’t empower your staff with the tools and protocols they need for successful service, you can’t realistically expect them to deliver.

2. Be proactive.
   Anticipate problems, needs and wants to proactively create solutions for your clients and customers. Head off problems before they arise so your client not only feels heard, but they also have their expectations exceeded. If you charged them a fee, but didn’t deliver on the service, don’t make them ask for a refund -- deliver it proactively. Make that part of the dialogue from the start before they launch into their story. Great customer service means anticipating what your customers will need or want before they have to ask for it. By the way, this doesn’t just mean delivering proactively great service when there’s a problem. If you have a retail store, it’s a proactive approach before purchase. If you’re online, great customer service can start with the site experience to exceed expectations before purchase. The more you proactively attempt to address issues with your clients, from start to finish, the better the customer experience will be for them.

Go above and beyond.

3. Every customer service encounter is your opportunity to set your business apart from your competitors and go above and beyond. Sephora always delivers free samples with each purchase. RueLaLa.com offers unlimited shipping for the month when you pay the initial $9.99 shipping charge on any order. Amazon will often deliver free if you opt for the slow route. These are all small perks that build up to a great reputation of going above and beyond for great customer service. How can you deliver an experience from start to finish that sets you apart from the competition?

It’s for you to think.