Big Businesses Reveal Their Customer Service Tricks

       Customer satisfaction isn’t always easily achieved, but it can be if you are able to approach the act of service in the right way. “Customer satisfaction is a fundamental metric for marketers looking to determine everything from whether or not their companies are meeting customers’ basic needs to whether or not their companies will experience high levels of customer churn.”
In order to help us all reach this business success, Top-ranked customer service companies have each given their own advice as to how they make it work.


Charles Schwab 

image


       This online brokerage firm works with people who are often having monetary troubles or a great deal of financial concern. Hence, customer service is critical during a time in which the client appears most vulnerable. Schwab states that his two biggest tips are:

1.     Fix problems fast

“Anytime a client gives us feedback, we’re committed to following up, letting them know they’re heard and taking action to correct the situation,” said Schwab.

2.     Surveys

Schwab and company surveys the customers every month in order to evaluate their satisfaction and likelihood that they will recommend their service to others. This gives the customers a voice and helps the employees assess their performance.

FOXNews.com

image


       “People don’t look at one thing and leave; they come to us and stay,” said Jeff Misenti, vice president and general manager of Fox News Digital. So how do they do it? Here’s how:

1.     Get the customers involved:

“When we look at what we do online, we try to do extensions for engaging that audience further,” said Misenti. The beauty of an online outlet is that customers can still feel serviced even if they aren’t face-to-face with an employee.

2.     Bring people together:

Fox has created a collaborative chat forum so that clients can communicate with news personnel and feel more connected.

3.     Make sure customers get what they want:

“We listen to what people are saying and we’re following the topics that people care about the most. ... Whether people agree or disagree [with Fox’s opinionated content], we get an audience that constantly wants to engage and that is a great advantage for us,” Misenti said.  

Southwest Airlines Co.

image


       Have you ever wondered why so many people choose Southwest Airlines for travel? It’s because they make their customers happy. “Price is the ultimate driver of anything ... [but] you’re ultimately going to choose the company that you feel is going to take care of you,” said Fred Taylor, senior manager of proactive customer service. 

1.     Hire the right employees:

Southwest searches to hire individuals who constantly put others first. Taylor believes in people who do nice things for others because it’s in their blood.

2.     Be flexible:

“We don’t promise the moon, but we don’t black-and- white everything so we can’t be flexible with our customers. We have a very human approach to blending it all together.”  

3.     Communicate:

Keep track of external situations, such as the weather, in order to properly handle internal situations. Communicating in a timely and professional manner keeps customers pleased. 

United Parcel Service of America Inc. (UPS)

image

       “Shipping to more than 220 countries with 8,000 customer support staff answering 300,000 phone calls and approximately 15,000 customer e-mails per day, United Parcel Service of America Inc. (UPS) gives customer service high priority— especially in a down economy.” Want the inside scoop on their tips and tricks? Check it out:

1.     Give customers a voice:

UPS believes in gathering customer feedback and applying it accordingly. Using social media mediums, such as Twitter, UPS has positively impacted their customers through online responses and helpful replies.

2.     Always be consistent:

Maintaining the company’s positive image is crucial in delivery service but also in the retail stores. Using the same customer service protocols everywhere is what keeps customers well informed and pleased.

3.     Get management involved:

UPS management receives customer service updates daily, and executives visit the sites weekly. They coordinate their funds with customer experience in order to insure their “brand promise.” 

- Megan  

Birkner, Christine. "Top-Ranked Companies Talk Customer Service 101." Marketing News 45.13 (2011): 24-27. Business Source Complete. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.