These companies quickly surpassed their competition due to a loyal customer base that valued their service experience. While the first names that come to mind may be the crème de la crème, like Nordstrom and the Ritz Caralton, companies like Southwest Airlines that sell less expensive goods or services can still dominate their market if they have excellent customer service. Over the past three years, research and consulting firm Best Practices, LLC has conducted studies to uncover how leading companies use customer service to delight customers, build loyalty, and even retain employees. Key findings from the various studies, have recently been bundled together to provide insight for managers and executives interested in developing their customer service departments to world-class standards.
The Customer Service Research Bundle, available at http://www3.best-in-class.com/de198.ad, includes some of the following key findings:
- 78% of surveyed companies tend to have either ad-hoc or permanent customer 'delight' programs in place. Program components include: automated and self-service, customer experience officer, one-on-one coaching and service performance initiatives. - 87% use rewards to motivate employees to deliver excellent customer service. Of these, 48% use financial rewards such as: part of variable pay, bonus programs, incentive programs, pay for performance programs and compensation linked to performance evaluation. - The two types of initiatives that deliver the best return are those that enhance convenience and those that improve the overall quality of service.
Best Practices, LLC has created the Customer Service Research Bundle to assist companies in creating their own customer satisfaction and retention methods based on the best practices of world-class organizations.
Other topics in this bundle include: - Implementing customer-focused initiatives - The skills needed to sell in a customer service environment - Leadership and change management - Capturing and Implementing Customer Insights - A case study on FedEx that discusses company practices that differentiate its customer service
Visit http://www3.best-in-class.com/dr181.ad to download a complimentary research sample for the Customer Service bundle. For more information about this bundle or other benchmarking research, contact James Toomer at (919) 767- 9178 or at jtoomer@best-in-class.com.
ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC
Best Practices, LLC bases its benchmarking work on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can attain superior economic performance by studying and implementing the best business practices, operating tactics, and winning strategies of excellent companies. Best Practices' industry specializations include pharmaceuticals, financial services, telecommunications, manufacturing and utilities.
ABOUT THE BEST PRACTICES, LLC DATABASE
Customers can access information in the Best Practice Database by paying a per-document fee. However, busy clients have found annual subscriptions to the Best Practice Database provide the simplified, ongoing access they need. Please contact Tracy Hollister at (919) 767-9225 to learn about subscriptions and group discounts.
