We all live by our own set of commandments, whether they are ancient, biblical or just appeared to you in the shower, they guide our lives.
It should be the same in any business, particularly when it comes to customer service. Every business can be better at customer service and the very best take a real pride in it. It should be no different in an agency, and my years of experience dealing with the likes of the BBC, Kellogs and many, many more have taught me some key commandments I love to stick by.
Servicing clients isn’t something you can really learn in a classroom, although the theory is helpful, practice makes perfect. So with my experience of over 15 years here’s my “Ten Commandments of Client Service”.
1. Be Accessible. Answer the phone. Just by making yourself available when the client calls or pops into the office goes a long way to building a strong relationship.
2. Respond promptly. When you have a thousand things to worry about, it’s easy to let non crisis requests sit at the bottom of your inbox.
3. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify client needs by asking questions and concentrating on what they are really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions – never assume. Ask yourself do you know what three things are most important to your clients.
4. Learn the business. Knowing ‘Marketing’ is one thing, understanding the business and how it fits in for them is another. An effective client service team requires both.
5. Know your boundaries. Don’t be a jack of all trades. Never try to explain something that is beyond your understanding. A client likes expertise to be brought in on their job where necessary. Calling on the best people to do the best job can reassure the client.
6. Identify and anticipate needs. We are in business to service our clients’ needs, and we can only do that if we know what they want. Truly listen to the client. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems and upcoming needs.
7. Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Clients are people, they are sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them and the work you do for them. Thank them every time you get a chance.
8. Help customers understand your systems. You may have the world’s best systems for getting things done, but if clients don’t understand the way you work, they can get confused, impatient and angry.
9. Appreciate the power of “Yes”. Always look for ways to help your clients and avoid using the word “no”. Know how to apologise. When something goes wrong, apologise. It’s easy and clients like it. Deal with problems immediately and go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
10. Deliver more than expected. The future of our company lies in keeping our clients happy.
These commandments underpin everything we do every day, and help deliver a truly special client experience. Is this list similar to your service commandments?
Morag Dumbarton is a Creative Thinker and Happy Manager at Happy Creative, a full service marketing agency based in Blackpool, Lancashire. To learn more or contact us please go to www.happy-creative.co.uk or follow us @happy_creative.
