Chapter 1 WHY GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ESSENTIAL Why provide good customer service? Providing excellent customer service consistently is not an easy task but if we don't give our customers what they need and want, and we don't deliver it in a way that is acceptable to them, or indeed in a manner that exceeds their expectations, then we will lose them. This chapter examines some elements of poor customer service and why providing excellent customer service is essential to the success of an organisation. Examining your own customer service First, let's start with a simple questionnaire. Tick the answer you think is correct. 1. What is your opinion of the following? q a) It's only front line staff that deal with customers in our organisation. q b) We don't really have customers. q c) Everybody has a customer.
2. What do you think about the service in your organisation? q a) The quality of service inside the organisation is just as important as outside. q b) How we serve the public is the most important issue. q c) Service isn't really something we think about, it just happens. 3. How do you feel about the following? q a) Other departments can think what they like about this department, I don't really care. q b) I care what other departments think about our department, but I have no control over it. q c) I am responsible for what other departments think about our department.
4. What do you think about people's behaviour? q a) It is directly affected by the treatment they receive. q b) People behave the way they want to regardless of the treatment they receive. q c) Only some people's behaviour is affected by the way they are treated. 5. Which do you think is the correct statement? q a) Customer care is all about smiling at the customer. q b) Customer care is about meeting customers' needs. q c) Customer care is only necessary if you work in a shop.
6. Does your behaviour with colleagues have anything to do with the quality of the service you give external customers? q a) Not really. q b) It has some effect. q c) It has everything to do with it. You might also like to give this questionnaire to your staff. Now let's see how well you and/or your staff understand what providing good customer service is about.