Evolve Resource
10 Commandments of Customer & Client Service
This quick 10-step guide will help you establish standards for your organization at every point of customer interaction. Download this resource to start creating a culture of service, hospitality and innovation to delight customers and grow your market share!
- 1
Don’t expect your clients or boss to tolerate client service mistakes.
Clients and your boss will only tolerate 1 or 2 errors before they make a change. When you make mistakes consistently, you will lose your business.
- 2
DWYSYSWD - Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it.
Never do business with someone who doesn’t do what they say they will do. If they break a promise in the early stages of a relationship, then what will they do after the sale? The beginning steps of delivery set the stage for the rest of the relationship.
- 3
Never make a promise you’re not sure you can keep.
Promise-breaking is the same as lying. Clients are looking for a perfect record of promise keeping. If it appears that you won’t be able to keep a promise, always renegotiate before the deadline. People are forgiving and accommodating when you are honest and forthright ahead of time.
- 4
Never attempt to simply remember promises: Put them on a TASK LIST.
Beware of being too busy or of having distractions that will cause you to forget a promise. Don’t trust your environment to be calm and quiet enough to allow you will remember everything.
- 5
Unacknowledged communication is a profound form of disrespect. It’s ignoring people.
Not responding to emails or messages is like saying “I don’t care that you exist” to a client or customer. Even if you can’t immediately respond to their inquiry, you should respond to the communication by letting them know when you will be able to consider their request and when you will respond in more depth.
- 6
Reply to every call or email within half the time your clients expect.
- 7
Review your task list before the end of the day to make sure no promises were broken.
Put ALL tasks in ONE place. Avoid multiple lists, notes, stickies and computer programs.
- 8
Use auto-responders and voicemail in your absence so you never appear non-responsive.
No matter what the reason, after 2-3 days without a response, a person feels like they don’t matter. Even when a client finds out later on that you were sick or on vacation, and forgives you, you have nonetheless left a permanent psychological imprint of them being unimportant.
- 9
Technology problems aren’t acceptable excuses for breaking promises.
Technology challenges are a #1 priority. Your technology must work to maintain proper client service standards! A failed email delivery or a system outage is an excuse clients won’t appreciate or accept.
- 10
Your core product or offering is not service.
The core product you offer or service you get paid for is different than customer service. Customer service is the spirit, method and experience your core offering is provided in.
