Recession is ‘boosting customer service levels’

Finally a silver lining to the cloud!

The UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) asked more than 24,000 people to rate how well or how badly companies and organisations performed in 12 key public and private sectors. Overall satisfaction levels continue to increase to a UKCSI of 72 out of 100, compared to a score of 71 when the previous index was published in July 2008. The survey reveals 72 per cent of consumers expect organisations to improve further in the coming months.

With consumers seeking value-for-money products and services, companies are making greater efforts to impress their customers, keep them happy and prevent them slipping into the clutches of competitors.

The first signs of real service improvement appear in a major new survey from the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) - the most wide-reaching measure of customer satisfaction throughout the UK. Despite concerns over the economy, more customers say they are pleased with the way they are treated.

"With satisfied customers much more likely to return and remain loyal, good customer service is vital to survive the recession," says ICS executive director Robert Crawford.

"This rise in customer satisfaction shows that companies are getting serious about service - as they must be - and are taking steps to improve. Offering excellent customer service is the only differentiator left today. Consumers are increasingly looking for better value-for-money, so providing great service is the best way to ensure they choose a business ahead of its competitors."

Customer Service in Tough Times – The Alligators Get In The Way…

…Decreased liquidity, need to reduce staff, pressures of increased raw materials and energy costs, just to name a few.

In these tough times the (B2B) customers are under as much pressure as you are and really rely on great customer service that will keep them coming back and for which they will remember you when times get better. You want to make sure that the last transaction was not the final one.

So, this would be an excellent time to take stock of how your customer service and experience are performing, and engage for this the expertise of a seasoned Customer Focus Consultant like myself. My fees are a small investment in an “ounce of prevention” and are easily earned back in multiples. [Yes, this is a commercial for my services]

I have three pertinent questions for you:

1) Do you agree that in a recession your customer service needs to be better than ever before?
After all, you don’t want to compete on price, right?

2) How would you like to quickly find numerous small and big opportunities for improving your customer service?
The result will be that customers become more loyal and therefore your profits go up.

3) Can you help me do that?
Yes, that can be done, I assure you. My widely proven one day Customer Experience Workshop will do this for you. I have delivered it dozens of times for my clients in the United States and Canada and always to high client satisfaction. You will be surprised how effective it is, how fast it can be turned around and yes, how affordable. It is simply my best-value service offering I devised in over more than 20 years in this business.

Did I pique your interest? Then why not call me for a no obligation phone consultation at 416-465-0800 (EDT), or use this link? You will get more details, and you can also request a service brochure. http://www.customerfocusconsult.com/request.asp

And please do remember: A Sharper Customer Focus Gives You A Sharper Competitive Edge.