Good Customer Service Is No Longer An Advantage

Good Customer Service Is No Longer An Advantage

Apr 28, 2010
entrepreneur

What happens when good customer service becomes the norm?

Good customer service the norm?  Have I lost my mind?

Within the last week I have dealt with the customer service departments at five major companies: Apple, Dell, Verizon, At&t and Cadillac. Not one of them was a bad experience.  In fact, it’s not the first time I have had to deal with the customer service departments of those companies and I can’t recall one bad experience with any of them.

So it got me thinking about what happens when good customer service becomes the norm and not the exception.

We Have Come To Expect Good Service

There has been such a push over the last decade by companies to focus on good customer service that I have seen a real difference in the way they approach this opportunity.  Yes it’s an opportunity.

More and more companies have a primary focus on creating an experience that is more than just the product.  For decades the products were the differentiators.  Then as the competition increased we started to see customer service become a differentiating factor.

Today we expect good service and when we don’t receive it the negative response on our part can be amplified greater than ever before.

We Have Come To Complain About Bad Service

As more and more companies get service “right”, it makes the ones who don’t stand out.  And in this case standing out is not where you want to be.

The amount of companies that are really making an effort, really changing the ways they view service just makes the ones that ignore it that much more of a target.

The problem for many companies is that the more customer service becomes the norm, the more delivering that same experience becomes expected.  It’s no longer a differentiator, but something that customers assume every company should have.  Notice I said “should have”. If they don’t customers are more likely to complain than ever before.

Have I Lost My Mind?

Just so we’re clear I’m not foolish enough to think that there aren’t still plenty of bad customer service experiences happening.  There are -daily.

However, offering a good customer service experience is no longer the competitive advantage it once use to be.  Yes you have to have it, but its expected because a lot of others have it.

So if customer service is no longer a competitive differentiator, what is?  Ill answer that in another post.

What do you think?  Is good customer service the norm or exception these days?  Do you intentionally do business with companies that offer good service or do you just expect that everyone offers it?

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  • http://twitter.com/FirstMateYC First Mate YC

    I think it is an issue of you get what you pay for. The amount you have to pay for good customer service is dropping, so more and more customers have access to it.

    The ability to simplify the customers experience is one area where it is possible to stand out. I don't care how good/helpful the customer service is, the quicker and simpler the solution is, the happier I am. Value meals are a prime example of this in fast food. Sure I can order a burger, fries, and drink, and they will make it quickly. However, it is simpler to say “I'll have a number 1″, and pull around.

  • http://twitter.com/H2OLimos H2O Limos

    Rich,

    Great topic and I just wrote a blog about providing great customer service one customer at a time.

    I don’t necessarily believe that good customer service is the norm, but people trying to do a better job to keep their jobs. The job market is more competitive, so everyone needs to step up their game.

    I read a recent article that drive through customer service has been on the rise and that more orders are correct and more customers are satisfied. The main contributing factor was that qualified people are taking jobs at fast food restaurants so that they can survive. However, the level of service goes way up.

    I think once the job market and the economy break, customer service will go back to the way it was and many companies may not have the same focus.

    I hope that I am wrong, as customer service is the life line for all companies, especially entrepreneurial companies. How do they expect to grow without referrals and repeat customers? I know that my business is based on word of mouth and without providing superior customer service; I would not be in business.

    Like everyone, we want to do business with companies that provide good customer service. You are not going to go back to a car dealership where the staff was rude or eat at a restaurant where the waitress was rude and messed up your order.

    With companies like Lexus and BMW setting the bar, companies such as Ford have met the challenge and provide excellent customer service to all of their customers, not just Lincoln or other high end vehicles. This can bee seen in their blue oval program, which focuses on taking care of the customer.

    Good customer service is no longer for the rich and customer service is now a differentiator because many products are so similar. Is there a big difference in cellular carriers or cable companies, no? TVs are all the same and so are other electronics (except for maybe apple).

    I can go on and on, as customer service is a passion on mine, so I will stop there and leave you with my two cents. let me know if you want change. :)

  • http://www.RichLazzara.com/ Rich Lazzara

    Great point!! Simplifying the experience is a great area to differentiate yourself.

    It's funny, I was just at McD's with the family the other day and I told my wife if its not a value meal number then I wont order it. Its to easy to say give me a 1. Thanks.

  • http://www.RichLazzara.com/ Rich Lazzara

    Good points. I couldnt agree more with the fact that “most/many” products are the same. I also believe that many of the customer supports are getting so good that they to are becoming the same.

    Ill post next week on what I believe is going to be a key differentiator going forward. One was alluded to in the comment below.