Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Standard of Excellence: Customer Service Beyond Performance

It is no longer enough to simply deliver good quality products on time, especially in today’s competitive marketplace where attracting and retaining customers is challenging. We spend a lot of time, money, and energy finding and winning over new customers and we sometimes forget how important it is to make sure we don’t lose them. Unfortunately, that is often exactly what happens.

The minute we win over a new customer, we can easily start to lose them because now we take them for granted and they can stop receiving the great service we promised.

To avoid this, spend time listening to your customers. Find out what they need today and tomorrow. Discover ways to delight them that even they have not thought about.

Find out why customers buy. Why do they like their suppliers? Why will they choose one supplier over another? How can we win their loyalty so that they will brag about working with us?

Today’s customers expect more than just good products delivered on time. They expect doing business to be easy. They want suppliers who are their expert consultants and who understand their needs and process systems so well that those suppliers will come up with new and innovative ways to surpass those needs and make their processes and systems run more smoothly.

A great company produces a great customer experience—one that is so comfortable and rewarding that those customers will never want to leave. To deliver a great customer experience, the supplier must go far beyond delivering a great product on time. That is a given. Instead, suppliers must focus on what will make the customer feel good by ensuring they have a positive experience.

In our fast-paced world, convenience has become a significant factor in customer decision-making. Businesses that make the purchasing process seamless and hassle-free are more likely to attract and retain customers. This includes easy navigation of websites, quick checkout processes, and efficient customer support.

Customers also appreciate personalized experiences. Businesses that use data to understand customer behavior and tailor their offerings accordingly stand out. Personalized recommendations, targeted marketing, and customized services make customers feel valued and understood. Ours is no longer a cookie-cutter experience business.

Demonstrating empathy and understanding toward customers can also significantly enhance their experience. Customers expect businesses to take their concerns seriously and genuinely care about their satisfaction. Training customer service representatives to listen actively and respond empathetically can make a significant difference.

Businesses that go above and beyond to meet customer needs create memorable experiences. This can involve offering unexpected benefits, solving problems creatively, or providing personalized follow-ups. When customers feel that a business is willing to go the extra mile, they are more likely to remain loyal.

One of the best ways to ensure your company delivers a great customer experience is to empower your employees. Empowering customer service representatives to make decisions and solve problems can lead to faster resolutions and a better customer experience. When employees have the autonomy to address issues on the spot, it reduces frustration for the customer, and shows that the business trusts its staff. Please keep in mind that your CSRs are the face of your company, and if they are unhappy, they will deliver poor customer service. It’s as simple as that. However, if the business trains them to deliver good customer service, empowers them to use their judgment in solving customers’ issues, and allows them to go the extra mile to come up with ways to delight customers, customers will have an excellent experience.

Anticipating customer needs and addressing them proactively can also enhance the customer experience. This can involve providing helpful information before a purchase, offering maintenance tips, or suggesting complementary products. Proactive service shows customers that the business is attentive and cares about their overall satisfaction. In addition, empowering all members of your team beyond your CSRs will go a long way toward creating customers for life.

Businesses that offer quality, convenience, and personalized experiences attract customers. Outstanding customer service, characterized by responsiveness, empathy, going the extra mile, consistency, and empowering employees, can create memorable experiences that foster loyalty. By actively seeking feedback, maintaining transparent communication, and providing proactive service, businesses can build strong, lasting relationships with their customers. In a competitive market, it is these exceptional customer service practices that set businesses apart and create loyal customer bases.

Anaya Vardya is president and CEO of American Standard Circuits; co-author of The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… Fundamentals of RF/Microwave PCBs and  Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals. He is the author of The Printed Circuit Designer’s Guide to… DFM Essentials, Thermal Management: A Fabricator's Perspective and The Companion Guide to Flex and Rigid-Flex Fundamentals . Visit I-007eBooks.com to download these and other free, educational titles.