Consistency is the key to customer service

If you work in a position where you have direct contact with customers or service providers you’re almost certainly very aware of the importance of excellent customer service. I’ve worked directly with clients over the years but also managed my own team in a budget and forecasting department, I took my customer experience and applied it directly to the employees who reported to me – they became my clients and furnishing them with good service (support) and follow through (direction) was critical if my team were going to succeed. Perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned in more than two decades concerning customer service is that consistency is everything. Whether 95% of your employees provide excellent service all of the time or 100% of your employees provide excellent customer service 95% of the time you still will end up with 1 in 20 customers receiving poor service. You’ll spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to convince those 5% that they ‘slipped through the cracks’ and that your company ‘values all customers equally’. Every time you as a consumer experience inconsistent levels of customer service you question whether you are valued as a client.

Recently I’ve encountered a huge disparity in Customer Service that pointed to the the necessity of consistency. The impact was such that I’ll drive a little further and pay a little more because I feel valued as a customer of the second establishment. Make sure this isn’t a concern for your customers.

Over the last few weeks we’ve had to undertake a large number of home repairs as our old house is going through a collective phase of ‘fix me now or else’. Let me tell you that apart from bookshops, music shops and occasionally clothes I don’t enjoy shopping. I see it as a necessary evil and would rather read be outdoors, or reading a book than spend time at the mall or in a supermarket. In a perfect world I’d be able to purchase everything online and get back to more important tasks. Anyway, our house issues have resulted in us needing to take numerous trips to two large and well known home improvement stores the last month or so. Looking for new appliances, plumbing fixtures, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, paint, counter-tops, you name it I’ve walked seemingly every aisle in both stores during this time. Store number one is nearer to home, easier for parking and arguably a little less expensive overall whereas store number two means driving a bit further (another thing I’m not crazy about) and spending more time and a bit more money. Both stores ultimately are very similar and for picking up a new screwdriver or ceiling fan you would typically venture into either establishment and just grab what you need.

In this case however we had a few questions, needed some suggestions and also needed help designing a new kitchen layout. The difference in our decision as to where we’d spend can down to customer service.

Store one resulted in very inconsistent levels of staff. Such a huge store must surely have quite a few employees, well, seemingly so buy you have to get to your section and dial the courtesy phone to which they tell you ‘we can send someone over to kitchen cabinets immediately’. Immediately turns out to be about fifteen minutes (I told you it was a big store) and when they arrive they seem like they have other things on their mind.

“We’d like to get an idea of pricing options for a new kitchen layout”

“An entire kitchen?”

“Yes, we’re having to pull out our old cabinetry and are going to change the floorplan”

“Well….my shift ends in 15 minutes, we won’t get finished in time…you can schedule a meeting with us for another time”

“We’re here now….tell you what, don’t worry about it”

“I can give you a brochure”

“I bet you can….”

Thus ended the desire to work with store number one. That’s just one example of many from that chain, when asked if a certain plumbing item would perform the desired task the response I received was “it might”.

Needless to say the other store seemed to have the most consistently helpful staff imaginable. Nothing was too much too ask, time was a luxury they afforded their customers and they even remember who you are when you drop in weeks later with further questions. I’ll pay more for excellent customer service every single time and polls show that most people will. Is your company providing consistency in customer service? Can if afford not to? We at Miratel strive to provide this every day – with every customer interaction.