| A few years ago I read a great article by | | | | properly, we were on hold for over 20 minutes |
| Parasuraman, Berry & Zeithaml called 'Understanding | | | | before we got to speak with someone. This shows |
| Customer Expectations of Service' from the Spring | | | | to me that the company really isn't that interested in |
| 1991 Sloan Management Review. The article looks at | | | | me. |
| customers of service businesses and helps us | | | | How do you show that you're responsive? One thing |
| understand what their expectations are. | | | | we do is try and return all phone calls on the same |
| It stands to reason that if we want to provide great | | | | day we received them so our clients understand |
| customer service, we need to understand what our | | | | they're important to us. |
| clients think great customer service looks like. | | | | How willing are you to help clients? How can you |
| Spending time understanding their expectations can | | | | show this? |
| lead to more effective results. | | | | Assurance |
| The authors summarise customer service | | | | When a client deals with your organisation, do they |
| expectations into five areas: reliability, tangibles, | | | | have the confidence that the employees are capable |
| responsiveness, assurance and empathy. We'll cover | | | | and able to do their jobs well? |
| these in more detail below, together with some | | | | We recently took our dog to our regular vet to get |
| examples. | | | | them to look at a lump that had developed on her |
| Reliability | | | | side. We were seen by a younger vet (not that |
| This aspect of service delivery is all about doing what | | | | there's anything wrong with that!) and, after a brief |
| you said you were going to do when you said you | | | | feel and a quick blood test, she made a diagnosis |
| were going to do it. | | | | that involved surgery. To be honest, we felt that |
| Have you ever waited at home for a tradesman to | | | | she'd rushed things a bit and maybe hadn't done a |
| arrive hours later than they'd promised? Or been | | | | complete diagnosis. Of course, the cost of following |
| frustrated that the person on the phone who | | | | her advice would involve a significant financial outlay |
| promised to call back with some important | | | | as well as the mental pressure of having a dog have |
| information regarding your insurance hasn't called? | | | | surgery. As a result, we took our dog to another vet |
| When you're selling a service, customers use reliability | | | | for a second opinion. |
| as one of the important clues to make a decision | | | | You see, when I haven't got faith in your ability to |
| about whether or not to use your services. You see, | | | | deliver, I'll question the things you suggest. |
| when they can't see your physical product, they look | | | | In your service business you need to find ways to |
| for other cues that demonstrate whether you'll be | | | | convey your credibility to clients. One very effective |
| able to deliver the promised product. Do you do | | | | way is through the use of client testimonials. Potential |
| what you say you'll do? This means when you say | | | | clients can read about how you've helped someone |
| you'll call them tomorrow, you actually do. Or when | | | | similar to them, and this gives them confidence that |
| you promise to post some documents, they arrive | | | | you'll be able to help them in a similar fashion. If you |
| on time and the clients don't have to call your office | | | | don't have any existing clients who will give your |
| to follow them up. | | | | testimonials, use case studies instead that show how |
| If you say you're going to do these little things and | | | | your advice could benefit a particular type of client. |
| you actually do, then people have faith that you'll be | | | | Empathy |
| able to deliver on the big service they're buying from | | | | This last point is all about showing the client that you |
| you. | | | | care about them and their personal situation. |
| As an absolute minimum, if you want to meet your | | | | In our business we have a phrase "It's not about the |
| clients expectations, do what you say you're going to | | | | money". As financial planners, in one sense it's actually |
| do. | | | | all about the money. But it's not. It's about wanting to |
| If you want to exceed their expectations, read on | | | | understand what the money represents to our clients |
| and do the next four things well. | | | | - what are the things they want to do with it. |
| Tangibles | | | | At the moment we're dealing with the extreme |
| How do you make your service come alive? It's hard | | | | market volatility. We have clients who have lost 20% |
| for me to show a client a mutual fund, but I can talk | | | | or 30% over the past year. In our conversations |
| about the companies they deal with every day that | | | | with those clients we're taking a lot of time to just |
| the fund invests into. | | | | sit and listen, and find out how they really feel. We |
| As a client interacts with your service experience, | | | | understand the pain they're going through. |
| they use the tangible things they see to make | | | | We'll say things to them that other clients in a similar |
| decisions. If your offices look messy and untidy, this | | | | position have already said. If they're retired, a popular |
| affects their perception of your service. | | | | phrase is 'I can't go back to work to recoup my |
| What about when you stay in a hotel and they put | | | | losses'. I'll say to clients 'I understand that you can't |
| that paper sash across the toilet lid. It's there as | | | | just go back to work to recoup your loss'. Most |
| evidence that the toilet has been cleaned. You | | | | clients will nod their head and agree - they're seeing |
| wouldn't necessarily notice the clean toilet by itself, | | | | that we understand how they feel. |
| but the sash draws attention to it. The implication is - | | | | Most people just want to be valued as an individual - |
| if the toilet is clean, the rest of the room must also | | | | that's what empathy is all about. |
| be clean. | | | | Putting it Together |
| I've been in waiting rooms that have magazines from | | | | If you want to meet your client's expectations, the |
| 5 years ago in the magazine rack. Maybe it's just me, | | | | best thing you can do is be reliable - deliver the |
| but my brain thinks that maybe that business is stuck | | | | service you say you're going to deliver. In other |
| in a mindset of five years ago, and maybe they're | | | | words, give them the outcome they're expecting. |
| not up with the latest ideas and strategies that I | | | | But if you want to exceed their expectations, you |
| need to know about. | | | | need to have a service process in place to deliver |
| Have a good hard look about the physical elements | | | | the elements of tangibles, responsiveness, assurance |
| to your service - your office, appearance, | | | | and empathy. |
| documentation you use etc. Does it convey to your | | | | Think about a time in your life where you've had an |
| clients that you're professional and capable? | | | | experience where your expectations were exceeded. |
| Responsiveness | | | | How did they do it? Chances are it wasn't from just |
| Are you interested in helping customers? Being | | | | doing what they'd promised, but it involved one of |
| responsive means understanding that when a client | | | | the other four elements we've discussed. |
| calls with a query, they are responded to quickly. | | | | Have a thought about your business and think of |
| We recently changed the provider for our home | | | | innovative ways you can deliver these five elements |
| phone. It was an interesting experience. When we | | | | of service so that you don't just meet the |
| called the sales area, we spoke with a live person | | | | expectations of your clients, but you exceed those |
| very quickly. Once we were an existing customer | | | | expectations. |
| and had queries about the service not working | | | | |