News: Articles of Interest

The Importance of Customer Service
~By Laurie J. Storey-Manseau

As a marketing professional, I counsel clients about how to increase their companies' visibility through strategic marketing initiatives - externally and internally. While companies work diligently to create a positive image through marketing efforts, they may not consider the vital role that customer service plays in attracting - or deterring - business.

When I started my marketing firm seven years ago, I chose to surround myself with people who were kind, personally and professionally. They treat people with respect, smile, and use good manners. I have complete confidence in each of my colleagues, knowing they'll always be polite and responsive, offering a positive, enjoyable experience with our agency.

That's why when I see, experience and hear about atrocious customer service, I cringe.

My colleague, Adrienne, has a two-year-old daughter who wears glasses. Recently, little Julia's doctor said the toddler would need to wear an eye patch to strengthen her weaker eye. Julia was upset about the patch, and Adrienne tried to cheer her up with lunch at a "family-friendly" restaurant, part of a national chain.

In the restaurant's parking lot, Julia sobbed, upset and self-conscious. Adrienne spent 20 minutes consoling her daughter, saying she looked beautiful and she's lucky to wear a special patch, just like a pirate. With the promise of chicken fingers and French fries, Julia finally agreed to go inside.

As they sat down, a waitress came over, gawked at Julia and loudly asked Adrienne, "What's wrong with your kid?"

Adrienne, who is rarely at a loss for words, was speechless.

This restaurant chain spends considerable money on advertising, promoting their superior service. Regardless of their substantial marketing efforts, that one unpleasant encounter has forever changed Adrienne's perspective of the place. She's told me about the incident, and I doubt Adrienne will ever return.

If your customer service is less than expected, beware. Today's technological interactivity takes word of mouth to a whole new level. There are websites that serve as clearinghouses for good and bad experiences. There are blogs that don't hesitate to name names. And, no matter how you try, you may never get a bad comment removed from cyberspace.

Poor customer service can quickly - and irrevocably - damage a company's reputation. Conversely, positive customer service can effectively enhance a company's image. You couldn't pay for what a pleased customer can convey in positive word-of-mouth advertising!

A former journalism professor told me, "Show, don't tell", and it applies to more than just writing. It's one thing to talk about your great customer service, but do you practice what you preach? Ask your customers and you may be surprised.

Shortly after opening my agency, I needed to get materials to a client who was in Washington, preparing to testify before Congress. A glitch at the printer delayed the materials, and they weren't delivered on the day before the testimony as planned. When my client called at 5 p.m. looking for his booklets, I realized our young reputation was on the line. It was too late to send the package via Fed Ex, so I drove to Boston to put the package on a plane, while my husband called DC-based courier services, arranging to have it transported from the airport to my client's hotel. If I hadn't been able to get the materials on the plane, I was fully prepared to drive all night to deliver the package to my client in time for his early morning testimony.

You'd better believe that my client appreciated our efforts on his behalf. He realized I was willing to do whatever it took - including driving all night in snow - to get him the materials I'd promised.

Years ago, I purchased a suede jacket embellished with brass pulls from Nordstrom, a store renowned for their customer service. About a year later, I discovered that one of the pulls was missing. I called Nordstrom's customer service and explained what had happened. The jacket was no longer in stock, but the next day, I received a FedEx delivery with three different brass pulls, all cut off of jackets. One matched. It was exceptional customer service and more than lived up to the company's reputation. At the time, I sang this store's praises to everyone I knew, and I'm still a loyal customer today.

Even small acts of customer service mean more than you'd expect. The other night, my husband and son took me to the Colby Hill Inn in Henniker for my birthday. When I opened my menu, I saw a specially designed version that said, "Happy Birthday, Laurie" across the top. It was a small, but memorable, gesture that truly impressed us. It cost them nothing, but look what they received for it - I'm praising them in print!

Despite the kind of fast-paced world we live in, people really do want and expect good customer service. If you treat customers with respect and accommodate their requests, you'll earn their loyalty. Offer rude, inflexible service and you'll lose customers - and, eventually, your reputation.

So, when you take stock of your company's image, don't overlook the importance of good customer service. A happy customer will be a great ambassador for your business, but a customer scorned will bad-mouth your company all over town.

And word-of-mouth advertising - both positive and negative - is a tremendously powerful tool.

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Laurie J. Storey-Manseau owns StoreyManseau, LLC, a Concord-based, full-service marketing firm (www.storeymanseau.com). She can be reached at 603/229-0278 or Laurie@StoreyManseau.com.

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