Customer Satisfaction Is Not Enough

Satisfaction is a take it or leave it response from a customer. When you are satisfied with something, it works but is nothing special. There is no reason not to choose someone else if it is convenient. Customer satisfaction is not enough! 

Customer loyalty is our goal. It is the degree to which customers will patronize your business and your business alone because you’ve developed or created an emotional bond with them. You’ve gone beyond their expectations and addressed their emotional needs as a consumer. 

Customers have come to expect fast, friendly service. They expect to get an answer to their questions. They expect you’ll answer their call promptly and return their messages. Do those things well and you’ll be in the game? But will you win their loyalty? Not necessarily. If you fail, have you lost them forever? Again, not necessarily. 

Research shows customers are willing to accept some failure in terms of these expectations. Fail continuously and that’s a different story. This is where many companies and their representatives fall short. They believe that a satisfied customer is a success. But the next time a customer that is merely satisfied needs your product or service they may, if it’s convenient, patronize your business. But they won’t seek out your business purposefully. To do that, they must be blown away by your service. They must be so impressed with your service that they become a dedicated follower.

We have really four different levels of response to customer service:

• Angry 
• Dissatisfied 
• Satisfied 
• Thrilled

Satisfied or Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied and satisfied customers both are somewhat unmotivated in either direction. The dissatisfied customer if asked would potentially give you another shot but was not satisfied based on the last experience. They may feel as though the value of your service did not meet the amount paid. Satisfied customers feel that the service was what they paid for. You did what you were supposed to do. Unfortunately, they will often forget you as quickly as the work is complete. They will rarely if ever refer you. They are just as likely as not to choose someone else next time. 

Achieving Our Goal

Meeting our goal requires that we make creating loyal customers our mindset. There is a big difference between satisfied and loyal customers. We want customers that are blown away by our service, surprised by the high level of concern and care taken as their service needs were filled.

Listening to Customers

If there is one thing that can cause the failure of a relationship it is a lack of communication. Not just talking, communicating. One definition of communication is the successful conveying of ideas. That means that both parties speak and listen. Some things are spoken and others unspoken. Listening is a critical component. Listening means to take notice of and act on what someone says. Someone who listens acts upon what they have heard. Conversely, inaction indicates not listening.

There are two things in particular that you should listen for:

• Specific information related to the work at hand. 
• What component of project management is most important to the customer.

Listen for Specific Direction

When listening to specifics, listen to both what is said and what is not said. For example, the customer may state that they do or don’t want flooring removed. Comply with what is requested as long as it is possible to do so. 

The customer needs work to take place during specific hours. Comply by only scheduling during those hours. 

If the request is that employees only work when the property owner is at the home, then respectfully comply. Read between the lines and understand they are concerned about your integrity and their security, so it would be smart to be very security conscious and build trust. 

If security is of utmost importance there are a few standard actions that you should take. Do not ask to be at the home when they are not. Ask before entering a room you have not already been shown by the homeowner. Be sure that the customer always knows where you are in the house. Give them a list of their personal property items that must be transported to another location. Do not ask for a key to the home. 

A particular piece of furniture is identified as from a relative. Immediately stop and take precautions related to that furniture. Block and tab, or remove it from the wet area. 

The customer notes that a piece of furniture is very expensive. Acknowledge concern for the item or finish material. Mention what you are going to do to protect or restore the item or finish. If there is debris on the furniture, it may be good to immediately remove some of that. Obviously don’t joke about damage.

Communication Plan

Communication does not occur by accident. It must be planned. There are two elements of communication that must be planned. 

• Preferred method of contact. 
• When to communicate.

Preferred Contact Methods

This is going to vary by customer. Determine how the customer prefers to be contacted: by phone, email or text. This is the preferred method of contact. Most prefer phone calls, but some customers may not be able to take calls during work and one of the other methods is preferred. Even though phone is preferred for most communication it should be recapped with written communication. 

From a company standpoint get as much in writing as possible. If communication isn’t written it didn’t happen. There are two primary options for written communication and one must be selected: text or email. In the case that there is a misunderstanding you can refer to written communications.

When to Communicate

In short term projects there are 3 communication points that must be planned:

• Kick off 
• Outbound interim 
• Project closeout

Kick off at a minimum communicates the goals of the project (includes scope, timetable and finished product) and specific actions that must be taken. Most companies are doing this because it is usually completed of necessity. 

Outbound interim is the most common failure point and the greatest opportunity for success or greatest exposure for failure. On mitigation projects communicate daily with the customer when monitoring is done. For construction projects when you set specific days each week to call the client your chances for success increase dramatically. Companies that fail to plan outbound communication are characterized by inbound customer calls that are adversarial, angry or aggressive. 

They also usually don’t contain issues, but see them escalated to other parties like agents or adjusters. That makes issues even more difficult to correct. When you call the customer any concerns they have are not already at a boiling point and they are usually willing to work through any potential issues. 

Project closeout documents achievement of the goals set at the project kick off meeting. 

Usually Certificate of Satisfaction or Completion documents are signed. 

Without a plan communication is driven by the emotion of the moment and all too often that is negative or adversarial. When planned, communication is part of the project objectives. It is logical and cooperative. If customer loyalty is your goal, plan to communicate with your customers.