Essays on Customer Service

It is important to measure customer service to determine whether the organization's customer service roles are having a positive effect on the customer’s perception and experience of the organization.

Essay on Customer Service (150 words)

The standards of customer service in the system of the corporate culture of the organization are considered. The difference between the "spontaneous" and "purposeful" (conscious) nature of service in the organization is emphasized. It lists behavioral parameters that are potentially subject to standardization, factors influencing the content of service standards, and the most important functions of service standards in an organization. An algorithm of actions for creating customer service standards is proposed.

Relations with clients are one of the leading components in the system of external relations of an organization since today they largely determine its competitiveness. The drive to manage customer relationships is driving organizations to place greater emphasis on developing and implementing service standards. Considering customer service standards as part of the corporate culture of an organization allows you to find more effective approaches to their development and implementation. Let us turn to the analysis of the structure of corporate culture and determine the place of standards in it.

Essay on Customer Service (600 words)

Analyze the criteria for and factors involved in setting customer service standards

Setting targets and goals for customer service can help an organization deliver a consistent and high-quality service to customers. They can also help when measuring, reporting and evaluating a service that you are providing. Customer goals and objectives should be defined in a business plan and documented in internal policies and training procedures so that employees are aware of them. PRIDE (people-focused, respect, integrity, dedication and excellence) values and behaviors which has been created from what 2,000 staff and patients said they would like to experience every day at the Norfolk & Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust and are for all staff to acknowledge and perform regardless of our role or grade.

Please have a look at the embedded links to help you expand on this section. I require much more detail about all criteria to consider and factors involved in setting CS standards for all to follow in the organization.

Setting customer service standards

For Eastern Pathology Alliance customer service standards are set policies and expectations which have been adopted from the ISO 15189 standard and NHS England and NHS Improvement. These standards are broken down into different areas to cover all features of what the service provides to users.

ISO 15189:2012 specifies requirements for quality and competence in medical laboratories. It can be used by laboratories when developing their quality management systems and assessing competence. ISO 15189:2012 is an internationally recognized standard for the competence of medical laboratories by customers, regulating authorities and accreditation bodies. The standard is broken down into two main categories, management requirements and technical requirements.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have recently introduced a Pathology quality assurance dashboard (PQAD). This is a criterion set to understand how pathology services can be more effective and efficient by using PQAD as an effective board-reporting tool, with metrics that allow timely interventions focused on delivering high-quality customer service and driving improvement. The dashboard has 6 indicators and the performance of each indicator should be monitored locally as part of the quality management governance structure, which is reviewed at the board level as a formal recurring agenda item. A bi-annual investigation of the service should also take place. The indicators are;

1. Health Check – this involves items such as the number of serious incidents assigned to pathology, staff sickness rate, staff turnover
2. Operational Performance – this involves items such as the proportion of non-emergency or prophylactic administered antibiotics, the proportion of diagnostic histopathology cases requested for patients on a cancer pathway
3. Quality and Clinical Governance – this involves items such as the number of investigations available and reported by pathology which is not accredited to the ISO 15189:2012 standard or equivalent, number of transport delays recorded as non-conformances
4. People – this involves items such as the proportion of pathology staff whose annual appraisals have been completed on time, the proportion of locum and bank staff per substantive from all staff groups
5. Stakeholder engagement and operational delivery – this involves items such as making the NHS the best place to work. Making full use of staff feedback and engagement, number of equipment contracts in effect that are over an original term agreement
6. Future metrics – this includes items such as the number of blood draws per patient episode, the proportion of inpatient results required for discharge available at the time of need.

These customer service standards are communicated to all EPA employees in form of training sessions, competencies, emails and meetings. It is important we evidence when we are meeting the standards and raising non-conformances when we are not so this can be identified. We use our information system Q-Pulse to store all details of standards which is available to staff to view. We have also amended fields on Q-Pulse to reflect what area of a standard the item is aiming to evidence.

Essay on Customer Service (850 words)

You and your significant other are dining at a famous Steakhouse on a Friday evening. The waiter who seats you is joking with coworkers and forgets to give you the menu. No biggie, right? The waiter returns, then rudely asks, “What do you want?” You take a deep breath then politely mention that he forgot to give out the menu. The waiter responds with an obnoxious sigh then drops the menu on the table. You mention all your favorite dishes listed on the menu; however, they are unavailable. All out of options, you ask, “What do you recommend?” The waiter looks up and appears to be in deep thought, then begins to pick his nose. A green gummi bear-sized booger flings off this finger onto your significant another cheek, then slowly slides down like a toddler on a rusty slide. She screams, you yell, and the two of you never eat there again. Bad customer service can turn a surging company into a bankrupt business. Every business owner understands and recognizes the value of meritorious service. Customer service is the backbone of any organization and is an essential component that dictates the company’s sales, reputation, and longevity.

Businesses that thrive in sales genuinely have excellent customer service and always put the customer first. In fact, companies cannot survive without exceptional customer service that keeps the customer coming back for more. Customers are also compelled to spend more money when they feel like they are being treated in a respectful manner. Business managers recognize that if a customer has a bad experience, it could have a profound effect on future purchases. Therefore, companies train their staff to exceed customers’ expectations and use surveys to evaluate them. With social media being one of the leading communication platforms of today, customers can openly share their positive experiences in real-time with friends, family, colleagues, and the general public. The more people share their experiences; the more they are inclined to see what the talk is about.

A business's reputation can determine the overall success of a company. For example, Chick-fil-A maintains an excellent reputation with their fast, efficient service and courteous “My pleasure!” signature. They recently increased the prices on their menu; however, customers are still wrapped around the building at 12 pm for a crispy chicken sandwich, fresh lemonade, and a smile. When a person has a great customer experience, they become loyal customers. A good car salesman recognizes the value of making the customer feel comfortable with their vehicle of choice and not forcing them into a car they do not want. A great sanitation worker will collect the garbage and ensure the lid is closed to alleviate potential rain or rodents entering the cart. A vibrant receptionist will listen and assist the customer until they are completely satisfied without transferring the call. All of these qualities build trust and compels the customer to speak about your company in a positive light, and that’s what we call free promotion. A customer may not remember your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel, and that determines the reputation of a company.

A company’s longevity solely depends on how consistent they are in their marketing and training to enhance the customer experience. Good businesses always recognize the importance of great customer service. Consistent service retains long-lasting customers. The average company lasts no more than 10 years and customer service is usually their Achilles heel. Companies maintain their business by hiring experts to analyze and evaluate catchy trends that will bring them more customers. The results of that information dictate the direction of the company, and goals are set to achieve total customer satisfaction. Each goal helps businesses create their identity. For instance, when a kid sees the golden arches at McDonald's, they instantly think ‘Happy Meal’ and will go to extreme measures for a burger and fries, accompanied by a toy to complete the holy trinity. Finding out what the people want is one of the best ways for a company to stand the test of time. Investing in your employees with encouragement and training helps boost morale, and gives employees the passion to go above and beyond for the company. The way a company treats its employees is a direct reflection of how the employees treat the customer.

As the world continues to advance in technology, customer service still holds a large percentage in the success rate of businesses today. A lot of companies fail to grasp the concept of putting the customer first which plummets sales, causing the company to go out of business. Furthermore, we need more customer advocates in the workforce who provide consistent and quality-based interactions. A waiter who smiles with a pleasant greeting is more likely to gain a tip and a recurring customer just by being courteous. Customers today have more control over how a business is perceived than ever before, they also pay close attention to detail. Therefore, every business cannot afford to compromise its integrity, and reputation, by setting standards to optimize the overall customer experience.