What are your Customers saying behind your back?

The adverse effects of the economic recession are still making ripple effects across the world. Unemployment is soaring and many businesses have been forced to close due to in adequate cash flow. Companies which are surviving in these difficult times are those that are customer focused. These companies periodically get feedback from their clients/customers through market research surveys. Customer satisfaction surveys are critical in ensuring an organisation keeps abreast with what their external stakeholders think about their business.

Its high time to be customer focused

The reason to become customer focused is to achieve a competitive advantage that enables long-term sustained success. In order to achieve this management should spend some time with customers and be able to communicate their commitment to customers throughout the organization. Customer focus should start from the top down. It is management’s role to ensure a service culture is communicated across the organisation and it should be made part of a service offer through which staff will be evaluated in their appraisals

Implementing a customer service culture is not difficult and does not require capital expenditure. In a study of Fortune 500 corporations, market researchers found that the number one motivator of staff is recognition – knowing that they are appreciated. Customer Satisfaction surveys give managers a forum to provide recognition that’s not based on seniority – but on exemplary customer service. Perhaps even more important is that the recognition doesn’t just come from management – it comes from the workers’ peers. That means you’re creating a shift in culture right at the grass roots. Add to that a few words of open praise from the senior manager to the team, and everyone feels like they are part of a greater good.

Elements of a customer focused

Customer First is clearly ‘ingrained’ into the fabric of the business

• They know who their customer are, what their customers want now and in the future, and how they are going to provide that product or service
• Their strategies, plans, and processes are aligned with their customers’
• Customer satisfaction is an important metric, is tracked, improvement goals are set, and success is rewarded

In order to fully take advantage of valuable feedback from your customers and clients, it is important to note that periodic customer satisfaction surveys must be done across the organisation. This can be done through random customers satisfaction surveys and or mystery shopping surveys.

Results from these surveys will be used to close service gaps identified and to improve in service delivery.