Why customers need more than one service week a year

Are you aware that this is the customer service week? Maybe yes or maybe not yet! Every year, businesses across the globe mark customer service week during the first full week of October.

Why has only one week been dedicated to customer service? Is it not a daily adventure? Should every week not be a customer service week? Over the years, I have come across these and other questions that seem to deflate the need for such a period. As a customer service enthusiast, I do totally agree that customers deserve a great experience every day.

It is for this reason that I believe that customer service week needs to be redefined. We need to go beyond the decorations, the snacks and the text messages.

In redefining customer service week, businesses need to realise that this is not the most important week to reach out to their patrons. Customers need to be kept informed and updated throughout the year based on their needs. An annual happy customer service week text message does no magic in making our customers happier or more loyal.

Engagement plan

Businesses need to be accessible to their customer across the different channels where they have a presence. It is especially crucial to get in touch with them when you promise to. Customers need updates about product, services and about promises made.

Businesses that care enough about their customers have an engagement plan that runs throughout the year. Besides staying in touch, such businesses realise that the best way to engage is to provide quality products and services.

Redefining customer service week also means spending this week looking out for opportunities to improve both internal and external service delivery. Service improvement needs to be appreciated and understood as part of the overall business performance.

Does your business have a customer service improvement mindset? Is client experience improvement a priority area? What long-lasting changes will you make to both your internal and external service this week?

Customer service remains a competitive advantage only if our businesses embrace its continuous improvement. What will you do this week to improve your end-to-end customer experience? How will you cement the improvements done this week? This year, the customer service community in Kenya is championing customer convenience.

Smart businesses

Have you considered convenience in your product and service offering?  Today’s customers have a wide selection. Smart businesses consider customer service as what differentiates them. I believe that only those businesses that make customer service excellence an integral part of their culture will manage to hold on to their customers for life.

I wish to challenge everyone in business to put together a customer service excellence plan of action this week. Take time to determine your customers’ needs and identify the challenges they could be facing – what is causing them pain?

 Also, identify new opportunities that will help refine your customers’ experience and improve your product quality. I urge everyone in business to redefine this week as that time of the year when we move our customer service to the next level. Have a productive Customer Service Week!

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