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LATEST THINKING

FROM LIP SERVICE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE

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OVERVIEW

The digital age has upended how companies interact with customers. New technologies, coupled with greater access to information and purchasing options, have ushered in new customer expectations, preferences and behaviors.

Today’s customers live in a subscription economy and are no longer tolerating empty promises. They are demanding a new standard of service that provides relevant, satisfying and engaging experiences.

Companies’ current customer service models won’t deliver different outcomes. Delivering on the promise of an improved customer experience requires empowering the frontline service professional with new mindsets, skills and behaviors.

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86% of leaders cite customer experience as a strategic priority | Only 23% are moving from words to action

 KEY FINDINGS

For years, organizations have talked about customer-centricity and the importance of customer care. Yet, their actions to improve service have not matched their rhetoric. Their inability to create more relevant, differentiated and valuable customer experiences is costing them. 

2016 Accenture Strategy customer research found that:

61%

walked away from companies because of poor service.
81%

felt the company they abandoned could have done something to keep their business.

51%

would have reconsidered their decision to leave if they had been proactively offered advice or suggestions on how to get more value from their purchase.

It’s time to move from lip service to customer service, from theory to action. The best place to start is by disrupting the traditional customer service model. Organizations that reinvent their talent strategies, performance management practices and culture will engage with customers in more relevant, more differentiated—and ultimately more valuable—ways than ever before.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To create the customer service future workforce that delivers a more valuable customer experience, leaders should focus on three core areas:


Relevance of every interaction

Service professionals shouldn’t focus solely on resolving immediate issues. They should use every interaction to educate customers and build long-term loyalty.




Behaviors and metrics matter

Performance management must be aligned to overarching objectives and employee experiences, not individual metrics. Gamification strategies can accelerate the transition.


Talent and culture traits fuel success

Service organization leaders should develop a culture that encourages personal expression and experimentation. Judgment, empathy and critical thinking are vital to exceeding customer expectations and building enduring relationships.

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HIGHLIGHTS

AUTHORS

CONTRIBUTOR

Farah Lalani       Connect with Farah Lalani on LinkedIn. This opens a new window.





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