Customer Service is NOT Dead

Written by LiveLink
November 13th 2024

Customer Service IS Dead (NOT)

Don’t you love all the large corporate businesses talking about how their customer service is award winning?

What are they judging them on? Taking under 30 minutes to answer a call? Responding within 7 days?

Shocking!

Are we to blame? Are we just accepting their shoddy service as the norm and thinking that ten minutes on hold isn’t that bad?

But this gives small businesses like ours an opportunity for greatness. And my mission is to enable all businesses whatever their size, to have the opportunity to deliver fantastic customer service.

Because we’re so flexible, our customer service can be exceptional. Honestly, the bar is so low overall that it’s really not hard.

I was recently at a convention where they tested out a few companies that were in the room.

Quite simply, they called them to see what happened.

There were more than a few red faces as calls went to ‘thank you for calling BT’ or ‘welcome to GiffGaff’. You know the messages.

These businesses quickly realised that they needed those calls answered. If they couldn’t answer then find someone that can.

Of course, there’s far more to excellent customer service than talking to clients that you spend hundreds of pounds trying to attract in the first place. (that’s another story for later).

But it’s a start. Just answer your phone! And you’re already ahead of the corporates that do everything possible to discourage you speaking to someone.

There are some fantastic companies out there that do customer service really well. Generally smaller businesses, but not always. Recently, Plumbworld stood out for me. They did everything they could to sort something out. Even called back when they said they would. That’s a first!

Bad – try British Gas. Dreadful.

If you looked at your own business, what would your potential customers say about you?

And be honest!