Creating Raging Fans thru Cust. Service

“Having an outstanding Customer Service that creates Raging Fans”,
author Ken Blanchard

from Good Leader.com 4/14 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz

The book “Raving Fans” is, in my opinion, an essential read for anyone starting a company and wanting to have outstanding Customer Service. In an “easy to read” fictional style, rich with real life examples, the authors have painted a picture that will engage your creative thought processes and shift your Customer Service paradigm. By the end of the book, you will believe & lea how to make Customers – “Raving Fans of your business.

Traditional Customer Service – is about the moment of truth – at that moment in time – where your business is in direct contact with your Customer. You can – by re-engineering or improving those moments of truth – differentiate your business & achieve excellent Customer Service. If you share this model – or have a different view – this book, Raving Fans, is bound to shift your thinking beyond the traditional “moments of truth” thinking into a world of differentiation possibilities – providing you with a framework to create a new Vision of your Customer Service beyond anything you have currently considered possible.

Creating Raving Fans. We all know how important “word of mouth” Marketing is. Could you imagine providing a level of Customer Service, not to one or two Customer, but to virtually all Customers (all the time), that is so unique that your Customers become Raving Fans of your business, talking about their fantastic experience with your possible Prospect, at every opportunity. In this book Ken Blanchard & Sheldon Bowles describe three (3) Secrets that – if embraced – will allow the reader to create a truly unique Customer Service experience for their business. Rather than being wrapped in theory, the book, Raving Fans, illustrates its message with real life examples.

3 Secrets of creating Raving Fans

S1: Create short-term Goals & a long-term Vision
First you will need a detailed Vision of where you want to go. Creating a Vision of your future Service model centered on your Customers, will take time & effort – but without it – you will not be able to progress.
S2: Discover what your Customer wants. (and what you want to give them. Your Customer Service is part of your product and you should “market test” your product before any major launch. You should “market test” the Vision of your Customer Service with Customers. Be prepared to alter your Vision in response to your Customer’s feedback. You will also decide which Customer needs you will Service and which you will not Service. “You cannot be all things to all people”. Don’t forget to build a Vision of the type of Service you will provide to your Internal Customers, as well as External Customers.

S3: Deliver your Promise + 10%.
To create a Raving Fan, you need to exceed on delivery of your Customer Service promise (each & every time), the Customer deals with you. The Customer needs to believe that they can count on you again and again. Consistency creates Credibility. As needed, start by making small changes to your current Customer Service model and gradually build on these changes. This way you will be able to achieve “consistency” of Service. To achieve this level of consistency you will need systems, training, alignment between where you’re at now and your Vision. An outstanding Customer Service is required to convey the message, that you really “care” about your Customers. This should be the “soul” of the Core Values of your company. Customer expectations don’t remain static, so be prepared to continually enhance your vision.
Comments: What are other ways to have outstanding Customer Service?