November 2023 Volume 5

OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

I guess the good news is that in many cases, the state of customer service and satisfaction is so low that it is really not very difficult to exceed your competition’s service and truly wow your customers. Here are a few suggestions for turning your customers into raving fans who will be customers for life. Don’t take anything for granted. Ask your customers how you are doing and what you can do to make their experience even better. Don’t assume that you know what they really want or need. Talk directly to the customer, not through a written survey. Then follow back up with them once a suggestion is implemented to let them know that you appreciate their input and what changes were made based on their suggestions. Make the customer a cornerstone of your organization’s culture. Talk about and celebrate examples of great customer experiences. The desired customer experience needs to be taught to the organization then reinforced and reinforced over and over. It will never happen as a once and done thing. Make your customer experience a part of your brand. Your brand should resonate in the market as not only the highest quality but also the best service and support before and after the sale. Market that brand, then walk the talk.

Think of your customer as a partner. Your customer truly is a partner. Without them your company cannot survive. Every policy implemented and every service provided should reflect a partnership with the customer.

Joel Strom is the Founder and CVO at Chief Value Officers. He has spent the last 4 decades accelerating manufacturing company value as an owner, CEO, and advisor. His recently published book, CEO to CVO, Moving Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary, has quickly become a trusted guidebook for building company value. He can be reached at joel@ joelstrom.com.

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2023 43