Customer service is not only a part of a business, organization, or even a governmental agency... it is everything. Let’s start by defining what good customer service looks like: “It means showing the customer how important he or she is to you and the business by interacting with him or her in a friendly- helpful and positive way. ... Good customer service means meeting expectations, but excellent customer service means exceeding them.” In contrast, bad customer service is easy, “Almost everyone can define bad customer service, because they've experienced it. It's defined by long hold times, rude treatment, false promises, failure to fix problems, as well as other examples of poor customer service. Bad customer service is one of the fastest ways to send customers to the competition.” (Define Bad Customer Service, Fraser Sherman.)

On average, I would bet that most employers have grossly underestimated the POWER of good or bad customer service, forgetting that old rule that says that when you have a bad experience you tell ten people about that experience and then they tell ten more, and so on and so on…. However, in today’s instant world of messaging, word gets around even more quickly.
In my opinion, customer service is the single most important element in any successful organization in today’s business world.  It’s what sets you apart from your competitor. When you hire people to work for you, you’re entrusting them with your most precious commodity ... your customers. It’s up to your employees to represent the values and principles of the organization and provide the best service they can. What can sometimes happen with poor employees and is what you don’t expect is for them to take liberties by injecting their own agenda or lack of values into the equation. That type of toxic behavior deteriorates relationships internally and externally and will eventually destroy a business. Smart organizations and businesses understand this and deal with toxic situations before they completely erode the trust and reputation of an organization.

It’s more important than ever in today’s economic climate that organizations, companies, and government ensure that employees are providing not just good, but great, customer experiences.  Otherwise, the employer will have to live with the outcome. At the end of the day, owners and managers set the pace for what is acceptable and unacceptable customer service for their organizations.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Work hard, be productive, and, above all else, stay positive.

Peggy White
Executive Director
Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce
peggywhite@pulaskichamber.info