Here are some very simple things you can do to make a big difference to your business.
- Set an example
Daily demonstrations of your ‘customer first’ policy must come from the top. For example, recently I was standing by a hotel reception desk waiting to speak to someone. They were on the phone. I was waiting, and waiting, when the manager wandered past, looked at me, nodded, and carried on. A good manager would have asked if they could help.
- Don’t abruptly put clients on hold
Nobody wants to hear "Oswold Insurance, please hold..." If you want to set the tone for a positive client conversation then encourage your people to answer carefully and politely; something along the lines of: “Hi this is Oswold Insurance, are you alright to hold? (pause for their response). Thank you! I’ll be back to you as soon as I can.”
- Always proofread your emails
Auto-correct and spell-check are no substitute for proof-reading. Here’s an example of what was meant to be the start of an apology, but instead read very differently! ‘Dear Maria, apologise for what happened.’ What they meant to write was ‘apologies for what happened’. Before you hit send, proofread your email carefully, and check that it can’t be misinterpreted.
- In business you can’t say ‘thank you’ enough
Please and thank you are still magic words - ‘Thank you for taking the time to come in today’, ‘Thank you for contacting Oswold insurance’. Saying thank you in a genuine way puts people in a positive frame of mind - and it’s much more effective if you lead with, it rather than say it as they leave.
- Make advocate clients feel appreciated
People are always surprised and delighted when they receive a thank you card or a call after they’ve made a referral. Why is this? Because it’s so rare and unexpected.
- Delight your clients with a drink
Offering a drink makes clients feel more like a guest in your home than a client in your office. Coffee or bottled water are always appreciated, but offering a particularly special drink can be a pleasant surprise – think refreshing drinks with ice on a hot day or hot chocolate with whipped cream in the winter. When clients are enjoying a drink with you they’re much more likely to respond positively to your cross-sell suggestions.
- Never divert clients to someone’s voicemail
Don’t you hate it when you’re transferred to someone, only for their phone to be engaged, or for it to go straight to voicemail, forcing you to ring in again? Teach everyone in the office how to stay on the line with the client until they get to speak to someone who can help.
- Give your colleagues a great introduction
When you’re transferring a call to a colleague, who specialises in a certain area, do you say, for example “Here’s Mike - he does all our claims.”? Why not try something like this instead: “Although I could help you with this, I’d like you to speak with our claims specialist, Mike. He previously worked as a claim adjuster and has years of experience helping our clients through the claims process. If anyone can get you through this process painlessly, it’s Mike.” Not only is that client now going to feel more comfortable and looked after, you’ll also make Mike’s job a lot easier because the client will listen carefully to everything he says.
- Ask how you can improve things for the better
Customer insight on how you can improve your service can be invaluable. Often you don’t know why people leave you for another broker or why you aren’t getting many referrals. Consider asking clients for their feedback during your renewal conversation, or maybe add something like this to your email signature. And don’t forget to follow up with them once you’ve made the change. People love it when their advice is taken.
Hopefully you now have some ideas of improvements to make. A lot of what’s suggested here is common sense but these suggestions act as a reminder that it’s often the little things that make for a great customer experience.
Valuable insight from the Institute of Customer Service’s most recent survey:
- 17.3% of customers reported having a problem with customer service - the highest level ever recorded in the UK.
- Customer satisfaction will come under increasing pressure in the coming year as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
- Maintaining a personal connection with customers is central to improving customer satisfaction.
- Empathy and the ability to respond to a customer's unique situation and needs are essential attributes of successful customer service organisations.
- Despite cost pressures for customers and service providers, service quality remains important. Indeed, 35% of those surveyed indicated they would be prepared to pay more to guarantee excellent service.
For more information go to Cambridge Network