05:30
Faizan
One of the cardinal rules of customer service is to give the customer what he wants. The downside to this rule is that customers may want more than can be practical or even possible. Businesses must keep promises to retain customer trust and loyalty. Yet refusing to meet expectations of quality, service level, delivery time or even friendliness can cause customers to be less than happy with service even if it met all contractual requirements. Managing customer expectations can be seen as a logical extension of brand management and salesmanship. But what should you expect when managing expectations?
Promise excellence only if you can deliver it. This promise sets the expectation that this is what customers will receive.
Know the customer's expectations. Excellence can be defined as exceeding customer expectations. These can be expectations set by service clients had with former service providers or set by industry reputation. Promising to beat all prior service records, to be the best they have ever known or to go above and beyond the call of duty set the expectation that the supplier will only offer excellence.
Set expectations that can be repeatedly met. The advantages of setting expectations of excellence are helping make the sale, gaining customer approval, winning stakeholder acceptance, and ensuring repeat customers when these expectations of excellence are met. There are downsides to setting an expectation of excellence. Anything less than perfection destroys the group's reputation. Expectations of excellence can result in high contractual penalties for merely acceptable product delivery.
Set acceptable standards according to industry or regulatory standards. Acceptable is defined by meeting general requirements and standards. Spelling out the International Standards Organization standards the product will meet, the government regulations the product will meet and American Society for Quality guidelines are all cases of setting the expectation that the product is acceptable with universal standards. The product or service is not the best, but it meets the industry standard.
Agreeing to meet industry or government standards sets the expectation that this is what customers will actually receive. Never set the expectation that the product will meet specific standards unless your company already meets those standards. Have a list of standards the company or product already meets is essential.
Tell customers if you are in the process of being certified. Promising to meet industry standards and then failing to have official recognition in time to certify the customer's product as meeting those standards may be illegal or a breach of contract.
Set the bar low if it is all you can achieve. "We'll get you a product for your price" is the lowest standard a company can set. The lowest bar of expectations is that the contractually agreed terms will be met.
Avoid contracts for which you are uncertain of meeting the minimal acceptable standard set by the terms of the contract. Failing to meet the low bar results in businesses not staying in business, either from loss of customers or legal action.
Promise excellence only if you can deliver it. This promise sets the expectation that this is what customers will receive.
Know the customer's expectations. Excellence can be defined as exceeding customer expectations. These can be expectations set by service clients had with former service providers or set by industry reputation. Promising to beat all prior service records, to be the best they have ever known or to go above and beyond the call of duty set the expectation that the supplier will only offer excellence.
Set expectations that can be repeatedly met. The advantages of setting expectations of excellence are helping make the sale, gaining customer approval, winning stakeholder acceptance, and ensuring repeat customers when these expectations of excellence are met. There are downsides to setting an expectation of excellence. Anything less than perfection destroys the group's reputation. Expectations of excellence can result in high contractual penalties for merely acceptable product delivery.
Set acceptable standards according to industry or regulatory standards. Acceptable is defined by meeting general requirements and standards. Spelling out the International Standards Organization standards the product will meet, the government regulations the product will meet and American Society for Quality guidelines are all cases of setting the expectation that the product is acceptable with universal standards. The product or service is not the best, but it meets the industry standard.
Agreeing to meet industry or government standards sets the expectation that this is what customers will actually receive. Never set the expectation that the product will meet specific standards unless your company already meets those standards. Have a list of standards the company or product already meets is essential.
Tell customers if you are in the process of being certified. Promising to meet industry standards and then failing to have official recognition in time to certify the customer's product as meeting those standards may be illegal or a breach of contract.
Set the bar low if it is all you can achieve. "We'll get you a product for your price" is the lowest standard a company can set. The lowest bar of expectations is that the contractually agreed terms will be met.
Avoid contracts for which you are uncertain of meeting the minimal acceptable standard set by the terms of the contract. Failing to meet the low bar results in businesses not staying in business, either from loss of customers or legal action.
Posted in: Products & Brands
