Don’t Wait
Show how good you are to your customers by anticipating their needs
by Shep Hyken
You’ve heard of a customer service department. How about a proactive service department?
This idea is not really new. Companies and people have been doing this all along. It may not be an official department. As a matter of fact, it is common sense. Here are several examples of what I am referring to: The waiter who fills a customer’s water glass before the customer has to ask.
The shipping department that follows up with a customer to verify the package arrived. If it didn’t arrive, they start the tracking process or reship the package.
The salesperson that sells a video player/recorder to a customer and calls the customer the next day to make sure he/she was able to connect it to the television. If the customer couldn’t, the salesperson walks the customer through the process, step by step.
As mentioned above, the idea of proactive service is not new. But a formal process to provide this type of "thinking ahead" is not usually the norm. It is usually an individual’s effort, within a company, that provides this level of service.
Proactive service is an opportunity to show how good you are. A customer decides to do business with you because they trust you enough to deliver "the goods." Proactive service reinforces the decision the customer made.
It helps to build respect and loyalty. Why leave this powerful concept to chance? Make it a normal procedure as part of the sales and follow-up process and watch your customers say, "Wow!"
Shep Hyken, CSP, is a professional speaker and author who helps companies develop loyal relationships with their customers and employees. For more information on Shep’s speaking programs, books, and other learning products, please contact (314) 692-2200. Email: shep@hyken.com, Web: www.hyken.com. For information on customer service training, go to www.TheCustomerFocus.com.
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