Anyone who has spent a decent amount of time in the UAE knows that it has an up and down reputation for customer service.
From the five-star hotels to the brick-and-mortar retail outlets, there are more than enough opportunities for customer interaction, with a mixed bag of results. But, in tandem with its growing ambition and innovation, there has been an increased focus on what constitutes good customer service and how to implement it in recent years.
As the world rebuilds following the pandemic, the priorities of customers are shifting. In this new era, the overall experience takes on a much higher prevalence and brands that fail to step up will pay a costly price. At Serindipity Solutions we understand the value of customer service and have worked hard to develop a reputation for delivery and execution in our events, logistics and operations departments. We work on a range of projects from pop-up exhibitions to product launches, customer engagement centres to experiential marketing outlets, all of which require the highest standards in face-to-face interactions. So, what does good customer service look like and why does it make such a difference to a company’s performance?
While individuals might disagree on levels of service and each scenario should be tailored to match its brand’s perception, there are core elements to good customer service. At its heart it is all about listening and engaging. It might sound simple, but it is also extremely effective. Brands and teams that are able to listen to what their customers want can more easily provide them with products and services that they will commit to, the same is true for interactions. Every customer wants to believe they have been heard correctly, which in turns helps the employee better service their needs. When staff can compliment this by engaging with the customer, they are far more likely to build the type of rapport that leads to increased spending, loyalty and word of mouth recommendations. In a diverse landscape like the UAE, taking the time to listen and to ensure the customer is understood is even more important. When it is commonplace for people to be interacting in a second or third language, communication needs to be simple and effective. Customer service staff need to be trained to avoid rushing, to speak up if they don’t understand and to make the customer feel comfortable. When a customer believes that their needs are recognised and that the staff member is capable of doing their best to provide results, they are far more receptive to whatever the eventual outcome is. For instance, if a customer service staff member has engaged correctly with a customer, they are likely to be less frustrated if something isn’t exactly as they would like it to be.
In the past, it was all too common for companies to overlook the value of investing in good customer service. Brands who felt they had a winning product or highly in-demand service were confident that ‘average’ or even poor customer experiences wouldn’t hurt their overall performance. The reality is that this assumption (and you know what they say about doing that…) is far from accurate. For customers in the modern age, the experience can be just as important as the outcome and it definitely affects their view of the brand in relation to potential competitors. Customers are also far more discerning and need more than ‘average’ when it comes to service. If you still aren’t sure about why investing in training your staff or hiring the right customer service team is so important, here are some of the amazing benefits you could be missing out on:
Building loyalty: Brands that demonstrate consistently excellent customer service are not only far more likely to retain customers, they strengthen their loyalty and increase their CLV (Customer Lifetime Value) which reflects the amount of purchasing power that customer will have during their association with the company.
Generating recommendations: Customers that have good experiences talk about them to people they know. We all know how keen we are to share news of a fabulous restaurant or great product, especially when the service is good. That is why good customer service can result in higher rates of word-of-mouth marketing.
Show-chasing your brand: Good customer service that reflects the calibre of your brand is a way of enhancing the public perception of the company. A five-star hotel can only be so with five-star service, a family-friendly restaurant chain or brand can only be so with family-friendly service. Your customer service is often the only way potential customers get to know your brand story, so it needs to be something they want to read.
Identifying potential issues: When customers feel comfortable with staff, they are far more likely to open up about their experience. This allows employees to garner information that could be helpful to the brand as a whole. This data might highlight potential issues or process stumbling blocks before they can get worse.
Improving performance: The overall effects of good customer service can be felt across the whole company. By promoting a culture of proactive and positive interactions, you can set the tone for the whole team and give your staff a sense of pride and loyalty for their organisation. When the employees feel engaged, they will also go even further for your customers and the better customer service they give, the better it is for the company’s bottom line.
Isn’t that a worthwhile investment indeed?
At Serindipity Solutions our expert team can assist you with customer service training and operational management. If you would like to find out more about what we do or enquire about our operations, events or logistics service options, get in touch today 050 5944226.
