A few weeks ago, Peter Gold blogged about his recent experience in Canada regards positive customer service. Such a tale is quite refreshing when we constantly are bombarded with examples of how not to treat customers.
The recruitment industry is a busy market place where good manners and care about customers will go a long way. Every business should strive to generate an 'experience' for their customers which leaves the individual 'warm', 'pleased' and at its best 'delighted'.
As so often is the case, people are the key for a business to achieve. However, this challenge is deeper than having a successful recruitment process delivering the right employees. Company culture and leadership is also key!
Many companies, who attempt to deliver quality service, still have leaders and decision makers who fail to live up to the objective. In today’s high-paced business world, with multiple communication channels and where faceless websites or emails deliver immediate messages, the temptation to rush on to the next customer is very high. The importance of treating your clients with respect and care is easily compromised by short term focus on the bottom line and cost efficiency.
This short sighted approach can have very serious implications – customer retention is key to successful business. Customer relationships and increased retention have huge returns. If you delve into the world of CRM, there are many cases studies showing 5% increases in retention boosting profits by 30% to 60%! It is a simple concept wrapped up so often with many business buzz words – “Keep existing customers happy, they will come back and they will spend more”.
This is true for all levels of business; one man bands, SMEs and global enterprises. I have recently been on the receiving end of both extremes of customer service by competing global giants – Microsoft and Apple (yes I know - Geek!).
I purchased an Xbox Elite when it was released at a high price. A few months later they reduced all the prices. Instead of leaving me disappointed with not waiting, they gave me a choice of £120 of games for free – I was delighted. So MS did well what about Apple?
I purchased a nice new shiny iTouch a week or so after release. This week, Apple released a software update for the iTouch – if I buy one today in the shops, I would get extra features including email, mapping etc. I need not worry; via the Internet I can update the software on my iTouch and get the same features as if I were to buy one today (for less money!). But, and here is the big but, instead of delighting me and retaining my future business, they decide to squeeze more money out of me. I can download the update but only at a cost of $20. I am left outraged and determined never to spend money with Apple ever again!
Perhaps Apple can risk this, based on having the market leading product and apparent arrogance that they will remain at the top? Who knows, maybe I will forget all about this experience when the next toy comes out! But maybe I, along with thousands of others, will not?