10 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Quality Customer Experience

The customer service experience: it’s something most companies believe they know something about and claim to get it just right. If decision makers within these companies would take a minute to step back and think as a customer and not as a provider, would they be able to list several companies that deliver the quality experience?

This question isn’t meant to split hairs, but rather point out that we tend to believe we’ve perfected the customer experience because we’re looking at it from the wrong side. If we’re answering the phone with a smile, keeping hold times down to a minimum and resolving every customer issue on first contact, we believe the experience is perfect.

A conversation with a customer may point out the fault in this thinking.

The target customer may care more about being heard than getting quick resolution. They may appreciate the smile, but they also want the additional information that improves the experience when they use your product. They may also want to hear from you more often than just the once-a-year special. But if you never take the time to really listen to the customer, how do you know you’re delivering the quality experience?

A recent blog post by virtual PBX provider, Nextiva pointed to some of the most common and dangerous customer service mistakes companies make. Let’s take a look at this list and why you need to correct some behaviors right away.

Burning the customer. If you have a policy in place to prevent something bad that happened only once, it could be burning your customers and making them look elsewhere for what you provide. There is some risk in business – take it so you can reap the benefits.

Forgetting it’s about how you do it. Remember, answering the phone with a smile is great, but don’t make the customer feel like they’re being rushed through the call. Keep in mind the language, both verbal and non-verbal needs to provide right of way to the customer and make them feel like royalty.

Missing cues to quality. Keep in mind that customers measure quality in a variety of ways, not just the obvious that you’re measuring. If you have typos in your messaging, dirty shoes on your sales reps or broken signs, they will form an opinion based on these elements.

Forget the bookends. As humans, we bookend conversations with openings and closings based on cultural norms. If you forget that the opening and the closing are just as important as the middle, customers won’t.

Hiring the wrong people. Don’t think you can train good customer service qualities into someone without people skills. Hire correctly for these roles.

Denying employees power. If you hire the right people for the job, give them the power to make the customer experience exceptional.

Forgetting to treasure employees. Don’t expect employees treated like dirt to treat your customers like gold. Treat your employees the same way you want them to treat your customers.

Too much pride. If you need to be sorry for something, do so. Say it when appropriate and leave the ego at the door.

Showing that pride. Following with the last point – mean it when you say you’re sorry or you’ll do more damage than has already been done.

Failing to respect the time of others. Don’t be late, mislead on timetables or demonstrate insensitivity to others.

Putting the right communications system in place, such as virtual PBX can pave the way to quality interactions. If you want this to be your reality, keep these 10 points in mind.  

Edited by Alisen Downey