Service and Universal Customer Values

When it comes to customer service, the key word to focus in on is service – to serve is the goal. But what does that look like, and why do some companies still seem to ignore that goal? Young, inexperienced people who have a role in this field often have a tendency to attempt to put themselves (or the company) first, at the expense of the customer. This does nothing to boost customer satisfaction or benefit the company brand. The company brand is not found in the fancy logo or a slick slogan; their purpose is to make the name memorable, but do nothing for supporting the brand as a whole. The company brand comes from how the consumers feel about the company, and that can be directly tied to the service they receive.

Customers come to a company with a need, and the goal is to meet that need. Greg Ubert, author of “Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry” is exactly right when he says, “The daily goal…should be to exceed customer expectations. Customer service, more than any other factor, is the key to happy customers.” In order to meet and exceed customer expectations, it requires knowledge of the customer’s values. According to blogger Rachel Miller, there are six core universal values that every customer possesses, and matching these to what your company offers will produce satisfied customers. The values include saving time, saving money, self-esteem, ease of product use, convenience, and security.

Matching these values with your service options will better meet the customer’s needs and create a positive customer experience. This experience can occur only if you understand the customer, and in order to understand you must listen. Listening lets you know which of the values hold a higher priority, and allows attention to be focused at that point. The end goal of this experience is customer satisfaction, and this comes about when your main goal is to put the customer’s needs and values first. Building a rapport with the customer leads to establishing trust and credibility. You can train a person to answer questions and provide knowledgeable answers about products, but unless someone truly possesses a sincere desire to serve, all of that knowledge will do little to produce a positive customer experience.

Once a customer has a positive experience, they are likely to become a loyal customer. They will tell others, which can lead to additional customer experience opportunities, promoting an improved company brand through a positive reputation. It is of utmost importance that a company focuses on picking the right people and providing the right training in order to reach the true goal of customer satisfaction, loyalty and a positive company brand.

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