It is general consensus that importance of customer service in the construction, maintenance, and development of businesses. It's common to hear the difference that satisfied customers and promoters make to a brand or company. Even so, the topic still seems to be ignored by some managers, or often lacks the attention and importance it deserves. Scholars around the world are searching for formulas and methodologies to create “perfect service”. Sorry to disappoint you, reader, but that doesn't exist! Yes, there are, good practices and techniques capable of transform your service. We list here Harvard's 10 Lessons on Customer Service. Follow.
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What is the Harvard Business Review?
THE Harvard you probably already know – a private North American university, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and considered one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Al Gore, and many others were students at the famous university.
All this prestige and success can also be transferred to the Harvard Business Review! What is this? The Review is a seasonal Harvard publication that aims to intelligent reflection on best practices in business management.
Professors, researchers, scholars and experts consolidate their knowledge in magazines, books and digital publications in HBR.org, six times a year. The publications cover a wide variety of topics relevant to business management and applicable to different scenarios, countries, and contexts.
Harvard's 10 Lessons on Customer Service
The authority and ownership that the professionals who prepare the Harvard Business Review possess is evident with each new publication and the respective media and scientific repercussion they generate. One of the articles published by HBR highlighted key lessons for the excellence of customer service. They are:
1 – Mistakes are inevitable, but unhappy customers are not
It's almost impossible to pay attention and prevent 100% from failures. Sooner or later, a small mistake or slip-up will occur, even in the best companies. Therefore, focus your energies on serving and solving your customers' problemsLearn from your mistakes. Masterfully corrected mistakes become opportunities.
2 – On average, 50% of customers and 25% of companies complain
Not all dissatisfied customers or client companies get in touch to complain. The important thing here is to satisfactorily resolve the problems of those who complained.Over time, those who haven't reached out may feel motivated or positively impacted by the feedback on the resolutions.
3 – Everyone must be able to solve problems
Everyone within a company needs to have the ability, motivation, and authority to repair flaws.Passing requests for corrections or troubleshooting back and forth causes delays, which only increases customer dissatisfaction.
4 – Those who complain, do not complain to the responsible department
Everyone should be able to solve problems. But it is observed that customers generally do not direct their complaints to the correct departments – Formal customer service typically receives only 10 to 60 complaints. The remainder are directed to management, front-line staff, clerks/cashiers, and others.
5 – Identify the problem in detail
Above all It's important to listen and understand the problem! Identify and categorize it! Closely manage all your official communication channels – from telephone support to social media and even postal correspondence.
READ ALSO: “Reduce complaints with automated service”
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6 – Experiencing a problem reduces customer loyalty by 15 to 30%
A customer who experiences a failure or problem with your product/service becomes less likely to recommend and promote your brand! Their loyalty level drops! Therefore, As important as solving the problem is preventing the same or a similar one from happening again. – avoiding this customer becoming a detractor.
7 – Resolution is key
Solving a problem quickly and effectively is the ideal path to follow.. The evolution of the dissatisfied customer to a satisfied one represents an increase of 50% in loyalty.
8 – Bring efficient resolutions
Temporary fixes and/or stopgaps in problem-solving only postpone and fuel chaos.. A customer's change from "completely satisfied" to "partially satisfied" represents a 25% drop in loyalty.
9 – Convert mistakes into opportunities
Again: don't ignore problem solving. Use customer service to your advantage – this is the moment to showcase your brand and an opportunity to delight your customers with qualified and efficient service.
10 – Consumers speak well (or badly) about your brand
According to research, dissatisfied consumers or those with bad experiences, share this information with approximately 11 people! Client-promoters and with good experiences, influence 6 people!
It's time to delight your customers!
Therefore, after these 10 Lessons from Harvard on Customer Service, it is evident that constant concern for the rapid and efficient resolution of problems. Empower your team and provide it with the appropriate tools and software is essential for the full execution of excellent customer service.
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