Customer Service Initiative

To Differentiate by Customer Service, Customer Service has to be represented at the Top

10th March, 2009 - Posted by Pam -

If you want to differentiate your company through World Class Customer Service - Your customers must be represented at the top most level in your organization.  Why?  Because anything less than a Vice President of Customer Service or Chief Customer Officer represents the Whisper Down the Alley Syndrome.  Another suggestion - add a Valued Customer to your Board of Directors.

When you have a Customer Service Executive representing your customers at Executive level meetings, customer focused decisions are made faster and with more accuracy.  A Customer Service Executive is focused on just that - customer service.  Revenue and Operational considerations need to be represented by someone else.  Otherwise, other priorities can get in the way of the customer’s voice.

For example - a company I recently worked with had their Customer Service department in the Sales and Marketing arm of the business.  The department ultimately reported to the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  This SVP was held accountable for growing revenue.  When he had a choice to launch a product line that needed a little more planning before it was released, he opted to launch it anyway.  His revenue grew - but low and behold - his costs sky rocketed.  If there was a Senior Vice President of Customer Service to add balance to this decision - the product release probably would’ve waited about 3 weeks and the costs for service of the product would’ve been much less.  After doing the calculation, the company actually lost money during those first three weeks.

So, if you say your customers are your most important assets - be sure to give them a voice.  Have a Customer Advocate at the executive level of your company.