What’s the Difference Between Customer Service and Customer Experience
It isn’t about customer service any more. It’s about the customer’s entire experience when interacting with all areas of your company. The difference between the two are vast and multi dimensional.
To quote Jerry Gregoire, CIO of Dell, “A customer’s experience is the next competitive battleground.”
Customer service is simply defined as the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase, whereas, the customer experience is actually the interaction between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship.
Take a minute and think about the service level you provide. Do you kind of “set it and forget it” after you close the sale or do you take the time to romance the customer and tee the relationship up for referrals?
In order to consistently create a meaningful experience for your customers, you have to be able to understand and more importantly predict both their emotional needs and their service needs, simultaneously. To deliver the best possible customer experience, you have to understand what it means to do this from your customer’s perspective. So let’s break it down. Here are the top six (6) differences between standard customer service and an unforgettable customer experience.
Standard Customer Service Requires
- Empathy
- Responsiveness
- Strong Listening Skills
- Professionalism
- Respect
- Appreciation
Great Customer Experience is Knowing
- What They Want
- What They Do
- What They See
- What They Think
- How They Feel
- What They Like
The one thing that you know for sure about your customers is that they want to talk to a live person when they call so it’s important to be available. This is actually your competitive edge because it’s highly unlikely that your competitors are available 24/7. You can have a live answering service answer your phone and you’ll never miss a call, especially when you’re not available. This is without a doubt the first step to creating a great customer experience. Your existing customers and potential ones need to speak to a live, professional call agent and receive the service and experience they deserve at any time of day or night.
Having a 24/7 live answering service to be available around the clock is a great way to show your customers that you appreciate them and that you are committed to providing personal support all the time. This will definitely go a long way toward providing an unforgettable customer experience and improving your reputation while increasing loyalty which ultimately wins you more referrals.
Call Center Services Make Serving Your Customers Around the Clock Possible
Direct Line provides a wide range of services from 24 Hour Live Answering, Urgent/Emergency Dispatch, after hour message services and Call Overflow just to name a few. Our award winning answering services make your life easier and improve your customer experience and retention.
