All customers want to be “wowed” - the moment when we as a customer receive and appreciate positive energy, spirit and commitment after a service encounter. However research has shown that 68% of customers fail to be “wowed”, and vote with their feet as a result.

How many businesses can afford to lose customers at that rate? How much money is spent on marketing to replace us? What is the value if a business can hold on to us?

Most people in business know the job that they have to do to serve customers. They may be answering the phones, changing car tyres, serving food and drink, cleaning, seating passengers on a plane. Because they know what to do – they do it. They carry out their tasks to serve us the customer and they do their job functionally. Many people working believe that’s the reason that they get paid and that’s all they need to do.

The companies that excel in customer service go beyond ‘know and do’ and they live service. They put their personalities, spirit – themselves into their work which gives sincerity, genuine care and positivity. They like their work, they love their customers and they are sensitive to their customers needs. They are not superheroes and they will make mistakes like all of us but what sets them apart is that customers and colleagues will be more likely to forgive them because their intentions are evidently helpful and positive.

The key to wowing customers is to understand who they are (pensioners, children, business, etc), how they do business with the company (telephone, internet, in person) and their particular expectations. It is important that companies involve staff from all levels and all departments in this process.

Take a group where there might be current customer dissatisfaction, a significant competitive advantage to be gained or if improvements were made there would be a more pleasant environment for staff and customers.

With the steps mapped out and in the correct order what can the company do to exceed the customers’ expectation and how can they make the customer feel important.

What the company will get is a lot of ideas, some can be immediately implemented, some may need working up and some may be totally ridiculous and impossible but here’s a thought…

In the 1970’s…

…who’d have thought that bottled water would such a huge business?

…who’d have thought that Chilean wine would be so popular?

…and who’d have thought that 9 year old children would have their own personal phone?

Don’t forget that utellus wants to celebrate companies and/or staff who demonstrate customer service excellence. If you’ve been “wowed”, let us know.