Customer Service is Key in a Down Economy – Tim Sieck

March 6th, 2009 by Skywalk Group Categories: Customer Service, Customer Service Training, Down Economy, Fast Company, Men's Wearhouse, Skywalk Group, Supervisory Training

See the bottom of this article for details about the Skywalk Group stimulus package.

Maybe your organization doesn’t make cutting-edge products. You don’t necessarily have to. But do your employees deliver cutting-edge customer service?

With today’s uncertain economy and belt-tightening occurring on every level, customers are becoming much more selective about where they spend their money. At the same time, companies are scrambling to maintain profitability and grow their businesses. Add to that, competition and a world that relies on social networking and word-of-mouth marketing … well, let’s just call it a tough sell.

Reliance on customer service employees is even more crucial these days. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “as companies downsize or take other measures to increase profitability, workers are being trained to perform additional duties …” So, not only are customer service representatives (CSRs) charged with keeping current customers satisfied and winning new ones, but organizations are also training them to perform additional tasks, such as cross-selling products.

Labor statistics predict that the customer service sector will grow faster than the average growth of all occupations through 2016. Training CSRs must become a priority.

Who should you be training to provide cutting-edge customer service?
· Sales and service representatives
· All employees who deal with your customers
· Anyone who has internal and external customer contact

Look at Men’s Warehouse as an example. From a Fastcompany.com article, “They Sell Suits With Soul,” shares the story of Men’s Wearhouse’s record of turning “reluctant shoppers into loyal customers.” One top executive said that the company’s training curriculum is less about how to sell suits than about understanding people. In addition, Men’s Wearhouse believes in “the ability to move beyond the initial customer request and to satisfy a true need.”

Does everyone on your staff know just how critical it is to maintain a relationship with your customers to keep them coming back? Do they understand what it costs your organization in terms of both revenue and time, every time you lose a customer who had a bad service experience? In every customer interaction, the client walks away with a stronger, or weaker sense of loyalty to your business. There is no such thing as a neutral interaction.

There has never been a more compelling time to keep your organization moving and on the cutting edge with customer service training.

Skywalk Group Stimulus Package

For a limited time, you can train your customer facing employees for as little as $30.00 per person. Contact Mindy Seiffert at 319-892-3980 or send her an email at trai...@skywalkgroup.com to find out how.

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