This year may be fading away swiftly, but a better, new one is on the horizon. So what does that mean? Well, it means that we all make plans for a successful new adventure into a promising new time, however the basic ingredients of success haven’t changed nor does it change with the drop of a brightly lit ball in Times Square at the stroke of midnight.
The four success factors are still the same as it has been for years; technology just gives it a boost, but customer satisfaction is dependent upon what customers want, how they get what they want, the service a business provides to give them what they want, and the partnership of the organization so that everything a customer wants – they get in a smooth and easy to deal with process.
Let us begin with what the customers want. Customers want product quality at the most competitive prices. They expect you to provide a wide array of choices, and make it attractive and convenient from which to choose. As an organization implements the sale with readily accessible product background information and innovative solutions to a customer’s questions, the customer feels they are important and more likely to remain loyal, however there is more to achieving that ultimate customer satisfaction than just delivering the best products, the best prices, and the best answers.
Now customer satisfaction demands the best service – not just the ease of checkout, or the customer service agent being available to address refunds, complaints, or make friends on Facebook, the customer wants to be sure you have their best interests in mind. Are you delivering the most effective level of service with the most innovative solutions?
To say the sales staff and customer service agents are the main characters in the play is not sufficient. The cast of an organization needs to include everyone including the business development people; those who maintain the working relationships between vendors and the organization. Executives who get out from behind their desks and help to further the goals, mission, vision, and value of a company make a profound impact on the entire organization.
To maximize customer satisfaction for 2011, why not consider the following suggestions:
- Use surveys to analyze customer satisfaction of your organization. Check out web sentiment on social networks, and use the accumulated data to analyze how happy customers are with the total service experience your company provides.
- Publicize the results of your customer satisfaction surveys, however do not forget to also explain how your organization has listened to their valued customers and made changes according to customer suggestions.
- Recognize employees who have stepped out of the box to do something exceptional – either for the company or for the community. Show how proud a company is to have such revered employees, and let these employees shine as examples for others.
- Have a plan of action for the new year, and keep everyone apprised of what needs to be improved upon or changed in the coming year.
- Always keep track of the whole organization.
May the New Year bring everyone good health and a lot of satisfied customers!
photo credit: Debs (ò?ó)?
