Customer Service in a Down Economy

The downward spiral of the world economy over the past several years has brought

attention to a critically important facet of any business, especially those in the US customer service.

Before this economic crisis started, the business world had already seen an unprecedented drop in the quality of customer service. People grew accustomed to long wait times on the phone and being transferred to call centers overseas. Something as simple as getting one's computer to work properly could take hours of personal time on the phone, with the customer receiving little empathy from the company whose job it was to provide a quality product or service.

When the economy was growing, customer service tended to be an afterthought. Because there appeared to be a limitless supply of customers especially for large companies upsetting a few people here and there seemed to have little impact on the bottom line. Customer service skills declined steadily as employees and managers alike grew complacent in keeping their customers and clients satisfied.

We now face a very different scenario. As the economy sputters to come back to life, quality service is needed to keep dwindling numbers of loyal customers from losing faith in businesses. However, we have not seen any significant improvements in customer service within the global marketplace. If anything, it has continued to decline as budgets have been slashed and employers use the economy as the reason for poor sales and service.

It's a common clich in business that it is significantly more expensive to attain a new customer than it is to keep an existing one. Similarly, the word-of-mouth of an unsatisfied customer is much more powerful than that of a happy one. These simple acknowledgements should be the driving force behind all business models today, but many professionals have failed to realize or act upon them. By continuing to ignore the importance of customer service, we risk continuing job losses, outsourcing and a struggling overall economic situation.

A Company-Wide Culture of Customer Service

The health of our economy depends on the ability and willingness of people to purchase goods and services from US companies. The current economic conditions are in part due to the significant US trade deficit. If consumers stay weary of the quality and service they receive from OUR marketplace as has been the case recently the future of our economic stability will remain in jeopardy. They will continue to purchase imported products.

To be successful in this or any other economic environment, it is important for your employees to do the simple things - promptly answering phone calls, returning phone messages and emails, following through with promises, and making sure that your customers are happy with the products and services you provide. By changing the culture of your company's customer service priorities, you can maximize your reputation and attract clients like never before.

You need to start from the top with executives and management to ensure that your company truly has a customer-first policy. These individuals really drive the culture of your business, and if they place a premium on customer satisfaction, then the rest of your employees will follow suit.

However, the quality of your customer service efforts lies in the people who are interacting with your customers and clients. Companies that are successful regardless of economic conditions realize that they must hire the right individuals for the job - individuals who are patient and willing to listen to each and every customer's questions and concerns. They must be willing to take the time to find the right solutions to keep your customers coming back. Hiring the right employees is every company's first step towards excellence.

Customer Service in a Down Economy

By: Tom Stables

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