Nobody delivers great customer service by themselves. It takes a team. Many people are involved. Some are behind the scene. Some are right out front. Some play a role before the customer enters your business. While others contribute to the service at the end of the experience.
Delivering great customer service requires that you take ownership of what is happening. Ultimately, one person has to take the lead and make sure everything is done thoroughly and properly to completely take care of your customer. That one person needs to be each and every team member.
The trouble is, in most customer service interactions nobody takes ownership. They limit themselves to “their role”. They are shortsighted and do not see the whole picture.
“It’s not my job” is a phrase that is spoken, or at least thought, by those who don’t have the desire to deliver great customer service. They might say, “It’s above my pay-grade.”
My question is, “How can it be ‘not your job’ or ‘above your pay-grade’ when it’s taking care of the person who pays your income?”
Imagine the great customer service you would be able to deliver if all the members of your team took full ownership of the process. What you would be imagining would be completely satisfied customers who will be eager to broadcast to others of their wonderful experience. You would imagine this happening with less frustration and hard work than you are putting in now.
How can this be?, you ask.
It can be, because when all the teammates have the same common goal of great customer service then everyone is all in. They are all in to make sure every step goes smoothly and gets completely done. There is thorough and clear communication. There is no assuming somebody else will handle it. There is no “forgetting”. All the team members are crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s. They are all in to make sure nothing is missed.
When you have this kind of commitment from a whole group of people striving to deliver great customer service nothing gets left to chance, nothing gets overlooked. You know your teammates have your back and you can fully depend on them. Your teammates know you have their back and they can fully depend on you.
When everyone on the team takes full responsibility for themselves, each other and the success of the team, great customer service happens.