Monday, October 11, 2010

Be the Extra Mile

Do YOU wash your customers windows?
credit: http://orionserviceinc.com

In recent post by  Kelly Craft -  Thoughtelf's Blog asks if we clean our customers windows and top up their oil, in order to provide exceptional customer service - led me to a hmm moment.

Hmm - as thoughts of if and how I have received, and provided myself.

Myself the Customer
As a customer, I still go to a  Full Service Station, when gassing up my car. I pay an additional 0.1 cents per litre to obtain Full Service. This entitles me to getting my windows washed, and oil checked as minimum. But, I get much more, and go for the addons - conversation and genuine caring. The attendant asks questions about how the car has been running, and mileage, and just general weather type conversation. He is excited to see me, and also does a check of lights and tire visual check. It is well worth the additional 0.1 cents per litre. I go out of my way to get my gas at this station, when this attendant is working. In fact, I coordinate getting my gas (as much as possible) around his hours, even if I still have a half tank of gas.

Myself the Customer Service Manager/Advocate
I have always attempted to provide my customers with  'exceptional customer service' and 'go the extra mile'. I believe,  I have managed to do this, the majority of time, and mentored staff to provide.
I would like to provide service like Zappos
- PROACTIVE. Expedite orders without extra cost.

Provide Exceptional Service Rather Than fix Complaints
There are various ways that we can be 'proactive', and look ahead for the customer. You can do many proactive actions, without having a complete enterprise culture change
- take action, and others will follow.

Some of my extras:
  1. Verify Customer configuration and recommend changes for improvement without request.
  2. Sent email notification regarding upcoming system updates on horizon & what means.
  3. If CRM shows no recent activity from customer - send out email to check-in.
  4. Added customers to IM, Twitter and FB and engaged after 9-5
    - when customers are online.
  5. As Customer Service Manager - provided customers with my cell number. Never abused.
What are your extras? How do you go the extra mile?
Can you BE  the Extra Mile for your company?

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the shoutout, Darleen.

    Great list of addition value add activities.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The "extra mile" is the exact reason why the previous business I was involved with has been so successful compared to our competition. Actually, we went so beyond the "contract" that in some occasions we risked underpricing for our services just to keep an optimal customer relation. The hardest thing is to find a perfect sweet spot between extra mile and exaggeration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Traffic is thinnest on the extra mile. Not many people going there these days. That leaves the opportunity wide open for those who do to prosper at the expense of those who won't.

    ReplyDelete