Three Customer Service Myths That Need Busting
Home 9 Message from the Mentor 9 Three Customer Service Myths That Need Busting

by | Aug 28, 2013 | Message from the Mentor

There are certain ideas that businesses assure themselves are true as part of their company cultures. Some of these beliefs may be valid, while others are based on myths that are in serious need of being dispelled. After all, if an organization runs on concepts that don’t hold true in the real world, it’s very likely that this will eventually be reflected in its results.

One area in which it’s particularly important to engage in myth-busting is customer service. Even the most well-trained professionals may be holding onto some misconceptions about how their relationships with clients should work, and moving beyond those fictions will help them reach new levels of excellence.

Old vs. new
According to the Huffington Post, one of the biggest customer service myths is that firms should prioritize finding new customers rather than focusing on current ones. However, the source noted that it’s actually both easier and more cost-effective to target loyalty. Keeping customers content can be an excellent way to support a strong bottom line.

Maintaining the status quo
The source also noted that sometimes, enterprises fall short of providing excellent customer service because they believe this is the standard in their industry. Even if it’s true that a particular sector isn’t known for giving clients outstanding care, this doesn’t mean a firm should fall into the same category. Recognizing a lack of incredible customer service in one’s field should be an opportunity to implement high-quality customer service training and other strategies to rise above competitors that haven’t made the same commitments. Buyers will appreciate the effort and build their business relationships accordingly.

The pricing problem
Salesforce pointed out that another major customer service myth is that what clients really want is a great price, and they’ll sacrifice adequate care to get it. The news provider pointed to one high-profile example that proves this theory wrong: Starbucks. While many people might ask who would pay $4 or more for a cup of coffee, the answer actually lies in customer experience. Consumers buy their beverages at Starbucks because they know they can rely on the company to provide them with excellent service at all times. Salesforce asserted that in its own research, sensitivity to price is actually related to “problem encounters.” People are willing to pay more if they are confident they won’t have any issues and that if they do, they will receive highly professional customer service.

Myths certainly exist in the B2B world, meaning such companies have to start recognizing these false narratives. Starting by supplying employees with best-of-breed customer service training, enterprises can break free from these beliefs and take their results to the next level.

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