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Hi There! This is Shep Hyken Customer Service and Experience Expert and on this video I'm
going to discuss above and beyond customer service. Wouldn't you like all of your customers
to say this? "They have the best customer service. They go above and beyond." In just
the last week I've heard four completely unrelated people talk about the "above and beyond" experiences
they received from people they did business with.
What is going above and beyond? I asked around and the answers were generally the same. Most
of the people said that it was when a company delivered an over-the-top WOW level customer
service experience. Well, my definition is a little different.
I've written about this before, but it is worth repeating and emphasizing. A company
that goes above and beyond cannot always create the WOW level experience. The reason is because
it is usually isolated to solving a customer's problem or dilemma, sometimes even a complaint.
These are typically isolated incidents that don't happen over and over again. I applaud
the companies that deliver in the face of a problem or confrontation. But here is where
I take issue. Let's take an average company. I emphasize
the word average because that is what most companies are. They deliver an average experience.
Even if the company is good at handling the problems, the rest of the time they are average.
Assuming that not every customer has a problem, and I'm willing to wager that most customers
don't have problems, then that means most customers doing business with that company
experience average customer service. My definition of above and beyond is when
the company is just a little above average, all of the time. That's what the best companies
do. As a result, they deliver beyond their customers' expectations. That's because most
of their customers experience average at other places they do business. And I want to emphasize
that it happens all of the time. That's what truly makes the difference.
When you are above average and there is a problem or confrontation, then you step the
customer service up to take care of the customer. The result is a loyal customer who says, "They
are an amazing company to do business with. And once in a while, when I have a problem,
they really take great care of me. I can count on them."
Your customers may not use those exact words, but that is what you want them to be thinking.
Anything less probably qualifies as just average. Just be consistently better than average and
your customers will do more than think of you as going above and beyond. They will think
of you as AMAZING! Well, I hope you enjoyed this short lesson. Please be sure to visit
my website, which is www.hyken.com. There you'll find more information about my speaking
programs, as well as over 250 customer service articles that you can read and share with
your colleagues. Thank you very much for watching. This is Shep Hyken, reminding you, to Always
Be Amazing!