THE CASE FOR CLIENT SERVICE - an undervalued 'raw material'...
Is there really any business owner out there who needs to be convinced that superior Client Service is an essential part of their organization?
One would hope not, given the fact that we all experience the impact of client service on a daily basis - our first coffee order in the
morning; trying to get someone to fix the bathroom tap during the day: our evening dinner at a restaurant.
The client service experience most often varies from the sublime to the utterly ridiculous. And there's no denying that this 'client service
experience' influences our future choice of retail outlet or service provider.
Most often, not even bargain pricing can lure us back to experience another dose of totally abysmal client service. That's a fact!
But like many simple basic things, Client Service is woefully under rated, sometimes even ignored by organizations. Many businesses sadly
regard client service as something 'wishy-washy' and intangible. This is unbelievable. Given the daily evidence and its top rating by customers
one would think differently!
Often businesses spend thousands, sometimes millions, on new product development or product enhancement. This is followed by extensive product
advertising and marketing. Similarly large amounts of money, time and effort are spent on establishing their brand. All this in an attempt to get
the edge over their competitors: to differentiate their business, product or service and find a 'unique selling proposition'.
The ultimate goal? To entice clients from their competitors and get more business.
Sadly, what is often overlooked is a lot simpler and the single most important differentiator for any business - improving the level of customer
service! A level of customer service that leads to a unique client experience and ensures repeat business. This is achievable at a fraction of
the cost!
It is a proven fact that it is much cheaper and easier to keep your current clients and customers than to go out there and find new ones. Keeping a
client is the art of customer service.
