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Steve Yastrow writes a blog on Tom Peter’s site and I have read a few of his books. I think he is off base on this one concerning customer service. I responded to him and I would love to hear from our SFS members to see how you feel.
The Post-Customer-Service Age
We have entered the post-customer-service age.
This doesn’t mean that customer service isn’t important. Of course it is. But customer service, like product quality, has become a basic, expected deliverable. Without it, you fail. With it, you are only at parity. Customer service is nothing more than basic business hygiene—the “brushing your teeth” of running a company.If you try to differentiate your company through customer service, you will, at best, be a “me-too” company. Sure, you might have competitors that provide bad service, but your goal is not to be better than the worst. It is to be unique among the best.
Good customer service can help differentiate you only if it is a gateway to building relationships with customers. Customer relationships differentiate you from the competition in a way that customer service (or products) never can.
Aim high … beyond customer service.
Steve Yastrow posted this on 07/24/09
My response to Steve Yastrow:
Steve,
As the economy continues to be mired in the mud companies continue to cut costs. And the first place is always employees whether it is a direct layoff or their benefits are reduced. As fewer employees handle more work customer service suffers even more than in the good economy.
I agree with the Zappos and Southwest idea of taking care of the employees who take care of the customer.
I work in a service industry where our work is performed in the customers home. It is more critical there than in other industries where the customer has the opportunity to walk out of a store.
Customer service may not be the only thing that is important but it is certainly on top of the list of priorities.
Posted by Bill Yeadon at July 27, 2009 3:38 PM
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