Turning Customer Service into Customer Success

Contrary to popular belief, there is a keen difference between customer success and customer service. Company representatives have to do more than develop strategies to complete transactions and provide customers with goods and services. You need to focus on improving your client's satisfaction, business ventures and personal tasks to achieve success for all parties involved.

Businesses have to be proactive versus reactive to achieve customer success, explains Kerry Butters with Userlike. Resist the temptation to improve customer satisfaction by troubleshooting problems; instead, implement strategies to prevent issues that disappoint or derail the sales process. It is inevitable that problems will occur within any company, but waiting for customer complaints to fix what is wrong is not the ideal model.

Transition to managed services and a proactive approach by evaluating the company culture. Flourishing businesses that achieve customer success develop a culture that involves the entire workforce in creating and implementing strategies. Set goals for the company as a whole, and encourage a motivating and inspiring environment that makes employees feel valued. Employees with the right tools to serve customers are able to do their jobs more effectively, and to the client's satisfaction.

Increase communication among employees to ensure customer success. Customer service often relies on how to rectify problems, whereas a cohesive company culture focused on success before, during and after every transaction has the potential to build a reputation that is satisfying to the community, the clients and vendors. Train employees to work together with each other and join forces with other departments to improve and open the lines of communication. The "that's not my job" philosophy does not promote success, cohesiveness and support. Encourage cross-training so employees are knowledgeable about many aspects of the company's sales and production to better satisfy and serve customers.

Evaluate leadership qualities to ensure that you have managers who understand the value of customer success. Managers should serve as an example for employees, and when leaders sign on to the company's mission and values, this attitude can be contagious and promote positivity within the workforce. Avoid separating leaders within the physical space of the work environment, and encourage mingling with employees so managers are aware of the processes and procedures on the front line. Employees who respect leaders are often more likely to buy into the mission and goals of the business and pass this information and positive attitude to potential clients.

The primary goal of a business is to promote and sell products and services. Companies that achieve customer success have an advantage because they focus on satisfaction from the start instead of troubleshooting when transactions go wrong. Put your business in the forefront with service that stands out from the competition.

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