9.2.4 Showing that you care
As you can see, establishing and maintaining rapport with your customers and then exceeding their expectations requires that you care about your customers and their needs. You must develop a positive attitude to service and show your customers that you care about their wellbeing. There are certain behaviours that you should display -you will recognise some of these from our previous discussions (this advice is based on information gained from Ash and Quarry, 1988):
- Put aside other tasks when a customer needs attention. Have you ever stood at a counter whilst the service provider seems to take forever to finish their task before attending to your requirements?
- Use appropriate body language such as: facing the customer directly; making eye contact and smiling.
- Use the customer's name if possible.
- Comment on past service encounters. Demonstrate that you are familiar with the customer and their requirements and that you care about past experiences.
- Respond in a positive manner to the customer requests, no matter how extraordinary or difficult.
- Meet customer needs promptly.
- Offer that little bit more. Go the extra mile in order to meet needs and accept responsibility for the customer's requirements.
- Provide those little "extras".
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