Customer service is top of mind for many people receiving supports through NDIS and many providers promote their focus on providing excellent customer care.
Providers who have a strong customer care focus, do so, because they have managed to instil service and satisfaction as a mindset across the whole company and not just something you do when things go wrong.
There is of course one Golden Rule;
Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself and this rule is at the very heart of what customer success is all about. A useful starting point for any company wanting to improve in this area, is to see your company through your customers’ eyes and be as constructively critical as you can be; look for the soft underbelly of your business that can be the most cumbersome and arduous part of the way a customer does business with you. Whether this is with your sales, billing, or on-boarding, keep asking yourself, does this obey the Golden Rule?
Keeping the Golden Rule as the standard benchmark for your company will help ensure that your customers remain satisfied, engaged, and ultimately happy with you. While there are many ways your company can put customers first, here are some tactical ways to get started and ensure the Golden Rule is applied throughout the entire business:
Your customers are your focus
We know this is basic but it's sometimes easy to forget. Everyone in your company needs to keep this front and centre. The purpose of your company is to meet the needs of your customers because without them, there would be no company.
Your customers are rarely wrong and almost always right
This is important because many companies fall into the trap of being right and proving customers wrong. This approach is short lived because ultimately you will lose a customer and even though you can gain some satisfaction in winning the argument, you will lose the sale. Focus on finding a solution and resolving the issue rather than winning the argument.
Every customer is different
Remember this, your customers are not widgets and they don’t come out of a factory. Each customer is different, they are not the same and will have different needs and requirements. They will behave differently and it is up to you to adapt and ensure you continue to provide high levels of service.
Understand your customers
Mainly, because each person is different, so by getting to know them you will positively stand out. If you know how your customers are and what they need, then it will be much easier for you to solve their problems. In order to achieve this, the best way is to ask them how you can help them, what they like about your service and what they don’t, etc. And that leads us to the next principle.
Listen to your customers
If you don’t listen to your customers, you will make continuous mistakes. Either, because you will offer a service that nobody wants or you will lose customers because of your addiction to thinking you know better.
Ensure satisfaction rates remain high
It is another very basic principle. Customers have their own needs, and we must strive to satisfy them. Now, remember that satisfaction is a subjective concept. That solution that you have offered to one customer, might not work for another. That is why it is so important to get to know your customers and listen to them
Treat your customers they way you’d like to be treated
Empathy is one of the most praiseworthy and useful values available to human beings. If you are able to put yourself in your customer’s shoes then, your business will improve. Of course, remember that, even if you do, it will be you who will be putting yourself in your customer’s shoes, and your way of thinking might not match the enormous diversity of customers that you have, so put yourself in their shoes and, imagine how you would like to be treated, but also remember that it is possible that not all customers share your same feelings.
Take as much care of your employees as your customers
Your team is essential, without a good team, you will not be able to get anywhere. In addition to this, you should know that if you treat your employees properly, then they will treat your customers the same way, which means good customer care. You cannot compare a happy, motivated and rested employee with a sad, apathetic and exhausted one. Give them reasons to be happy and your customers will benefit from it.
You need to be diligent for customer care
When a client gets in touch with you, it will be due to a problem. So do not forget that your main task is to solve it. Get down to work and keep in mind that if the solution takes too long to arrive, then it might not be worthy.
Remain positive
Having an optimistic attitude with your customers will not only help you solve your problems as soon as possible, but it will make them understand that there is a remedy and that you are going to get down to work to solve these problems. Do not forget to transmit that positivity to them.
Be kind and polite
This is a basic principle that we should apply in any area of our lives, but in customer care, this is essential. It doesn’t matter the attitude of the customer, even if they get nervous, aggressive, or even if they insult you, don’t give up. Keep calm and answer politely.
Be honest; only promise what you can deliver
You should only think about solving the problems of your customers, but if they ask you for something that you cannot provide, be honest and tell them clearly. It will always be better to admit this in time than to deceive them and get yourself into trouble
Never forget your customers are the lifeblood of your business, so no matter how far behind you might be, it’s never too late to begin honouring the Golden Rule.