| Two
decades ago, everyone began talking about 'customer service'
because, frankly, things had gotten pretty bad.
Either we didn't think excellence in service was important,
or we were so wrapped up in the service process that we'd
forgotten what the end game was all about---that of satisfied,
happy, loyal customers.
Enter
the 2000 shift of focus from simply giving good customer
service to understanding the more powerful and profitable
position of customer focus. Picture the interdependent
circles of your organization as links in a circular
chain with a single purpose: satisfied, happy, loyal,
referral bearing customers. In our global village, our
customer's success is our success. Customer focus and
partnerships and alliances are now inexorably bound
together,
There
are three interdependent parts of true customer focus:
First:
Customer Servicing. This is the operations part,
doing the task well.
Second:
Customer Relations. This is the human part, the
one-on-one actions.
Third:
Customer Development. This is the sales and retention
part that brings true satisfaction to every transaction.
Your
internal customers come first:
Don't
forget that an organization's first customer is its
own people, your internal customers. Until they know
you care about their needs and recognize them for their
individual contribution, they'll never effectively serve
others well. Which of course means that your message
of service excellence will never get to your external
customers.
The
speed of change, the development of partnerships and
alliances and concentration on customer focus. These
are the three major drivers that confront us as we rush
toward the next millennium. We can be driven,
pushed, pulled, and hustled along against our will.
Or we can understand and embrace them, plan strategically
for their affects on our organizations and literally
jump out in front of our marketplace as pace setters.
The choice is ours.
To
learn more about Sheila Murray Bethel's audios,
books and speaking schedule, visit www.YourSuccessStore.com. © Copyright
Bethel Institute 2000 |