How much do customers value good service? Enough to shell out
more money-as much as 10 percent-for the same merchandise but
better treatment, according to authors Karen Leland and Keith
Bailey in Customer Service for Dummies (IDG Books, $19.99
paper).
Of course, you probably don't need much convincing to accept
the notion that first-rate customer service is a prerequisite for
any company's success. But, as the authors so astutely point
out, there's a world of difference between good intentions and
good follow-through.
To measure how well your business walks the walk, so to speak,
Leland and Bailey provide a service questionnaire you can use. Once
you assess your company's weaknesses, you'll have a better
idea of which chapters you should pay the closest attention to.
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Interestingly, the authors encourage business owners to think of
their employees as customers, too. "Too often we limit our
definition of a customer to someone who is outside of our
company," they lament. "The other half of the picture is
the people who work inside your company and rely on you for the
services, products, and information that they need to get their
jobs done. They are not traditional customers, yet they need the
same tender, loving care you give to your external customers."
Makes a lot of sense to the non-dummies among us, doesn't
it?
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