GETTING CUSTOMER SERVICE RIGHT- By FRANCESCA.N.KAKOOZA
Have you ever asked yourself why women chase after male hairdressers? Why Nalongo’s place in Katwe is always packed to the rafters? Why vendors in Owino market and Kikuubo make the largest sales while sales ladies in uptown stores can barely make a cent?
Have you ever wondered why every rotaractor wants to join Kampala South? Have you ever wondered why the rich flock Serena hotel or why they will pay extra to travel with British Airways? Wonder no more, it is becauseToday’s customer is informed.
Today’s customer wants to be treated like the proverbial king. Today’s customer knows that they are doing you a favour to bring money to you and let’s face it they really are. If you do not serve them well, they will turn to the next customer savvy company or rotary club. They will flock the company that goes the extra mile to ensure that the customer gets value. Concepts like value for money have jumped from marketing textbooks into the real world. those entities have perfected the art of DELIGHTING THE CUSTOMER.
Any organization/club that wants to make it in these turbulent times has to pay homage to the customer. Customers are tired of being treated like they do not matter. We are tired of front office staff who give us the once over upon entering their shop and continue with their “kaboozi.We are tired of salon women who rush to help a repeat customer and forget about the new customer. We are tired of bank tellers who treat us like they are doing us a favour. We are fed up with restaurants that cannot afford decent toilets in the name of cost cutting. We are simply tired of expensive places that have bad food! We are fed up with workers that bring their problems to work. We are tired of employees that wear long faces and roll their eyes when we ask questions they are paid to answer. We are tired of Rotarians who look at us like we are committing a crime to visit their clubs! Like one famous singer said,”tuli bakoowu”.
The quality of service you give to your customer will determine whether you live to see your 10th year anniversary or not. The fact that the customer is the reason we exist is no longer only cliché, it is cold reality. Parasuraman, Zeithamel and Berry (1981) came up with 5 determinants/dimensions of service quality (customer’s perception of the service an organization gives) and argue that dynamic organisations need to ensure that these are in place if they want to satisfy customers and change their profit margins while at it. They pointed out the following dimensions;
Reliability;
The ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately;
If your motto is “We make it easy” then customers come to you because you make it easy, they expect that in whatever service you give, you will simplify things for them. They will not queue for ages to get a simple service, they will not wait for feedback in vain, they will not be made to sign a gazillion documents for a loan of 2m/- neither will they be expected to give some official some “chai” for their documents to be forwarded to the Permanent Secretary. If your product promises to be the best in the industry, then let it be so, do not settle for mediocrity. If your club promises fun, do not bore the young rotaractor. Be dependable and accurate in your service/product.
Responsiveness
The willingness to help customers and to provide prompt service
Customers want someone who will listen to them and solve their problems. They do not want to listen to stories about an absent boss or how things cannot be done. They want creative solutions for their problems that benefit them and yet do not derail your business. Lend an ear to that old customer, she may recommend her rich grandson to buy your decorative articles. Welcome that clueless guest to your club; she might bring you 10 more members.
Assurance
The knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence.
Product knowledge is crucial especially for sales persons or contact staff. They must know what they are selling. They must understand the business. A writer once advised, ”fake it till you make it”. Act the part; make your customer trust you. If you claim to be the number 1 club, act the part, be nice to your visitors, rejuvenate your after fellowships. Visit other clubs. But most of all, let your club members breathe and speak Rotary.
Empathy
The provision of caring, individualized attention to customers.
Customers want to be treated like kings not friends! You can bark at your friend, you can quarrel with your friend. On a bad day you can even abuse your friend! Customers want you to step into their shoes and understand them, they want you to understand what they want and give it to them. Rotarians want a club that understands their challenges and empathizes with them. They want a Club that celebrates with them and grieves with them. They want a Club that is their BFF (Best Friends Forever).
Tangibles
The appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials.
As shown above, “Act the part and you will be the part”. Hollywood movies sell because actors have perfected the art of acting the part. They dissolve into the role and convince you that they are indeed the person they are playing, ask Damien in the Omen movies. Personnel in a Bank must understand the language of money and act it; they must look wealthy and prosperous, suit up for heaven’s sake. Customers will not trust a rugged banker, no way! Let your ambiance portray what you want to sell. If you are a law firm, you must show your client that you will make more money for them once they step into your office. Your office must look the part you are trying to act. If you are a Rotary Club, let the Rotary spirit hit that guest/visitor upon entry into your fellowship sanctuary. Brand your T-shirts, wear your lapel budges, be proud to be a “Paul Harris Descendant” (PHD).
Suffice it to say if you want to make money for your organisation, you must learn to treat the customer with kid gloves. If you want to attract new members to your club, you must treat your visitors right. Ugandan businesses do not go past their 5th anniversary because they’ve failed to appreciate the concept of service quality. Rotary Club membership dries up because members “do not feel the club”. Today’s business man cares about today’s cent and will do anything including cheating his customer to get today’s cent, he forgets that tomorrow he will need money too. Treat your customers right and they will treat you even better. Delight your customers and your profit margins will rocket through the sky.