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by Stacey Soble
Are You Keeping your Promise to the Customer?
Follow the four strategies that ensure your brand keeps its promise to your customers.
July 10, 2011
Neil Ducoff, founder and CEO of Strategies
2 min to read
These days, terms like brand promise, exceeding customer expectations and the customer is always right are so overused that their message is barely audible above the daily activities and routines at your business. Of course you and the rest of your team know how essential it is to deliver amazing customer experiences all day, every day.
In fact, strategically placed at the core of your business thinking, there is a promise you've made to your customer. That promise is something special and unique that only your business can deliver. That promise says your business committed to delivering the extreme value with extraordinary consistency. It doesn't really matter what your price point is or what segment of the market you cater to, it just matters that you deliver on your promise to the customer to be your best.
The question I pose to you is simple. Is your business keeping its promise to your customers? It's a simple yes or no answer. An answer like, "Most of the time," is unacceptable because it's a compromise to your promise. Actually, the reality at your business may be that some people believe in and deliver on the promise, but the rest of your team delivers something less. That's breaking your promise. That's compromise.
Here are four red-hot strategies to keep your promise to the customer:
1. You need to commit first: If your business has compromised on its promise, as the leader, you watched it happen. It will take a major initiative and a lot of pushing to get your entire team up to speed. You must be resolute.
2. Define your promise: Create a two- or three-person team charged with the responsibility of defining every aspect of your promise. What does it look like, feel like and sound like from a customer perspective.
3. Skill certify EVERYONE: Build skill certification training modules that address phone skills, greetings, consultations, client interaction, service closing procedures, client assistance procedures, problem procedures, ending-the-visit procedures – you name it, train and skill certify everyone how to do it all perfectly.
4. Across the board accountability: This is where no-compromise leadership needs to engage and stay engaged. It's 100% keep the promise or it's compromise.
All too often, customers are at the receiving end of a company's indifference and apathy. And sadly, too many customers have gotten used to inconsistent service and breaching of a company's promise to deliver amazing experiences. The winners invest the time and energy to master the disciplines of customer service and respect. By doing so, the no-compromise winners stand out like shining stars in a sea compromising mediocrity. Can you deliver on your promise?
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