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Customer Service

“Customer service is not a

department…it is the responsibility

of everyone in the company”

- Lee Cockerell (Former executive vice president of Walt Disney World)

For most people, the words “customer service” bring to 3. Listen first
mind specific activities designed to enhance the customer Listen authentically to understand needs of your internal
experience or to resolve customer complaints. This paradigm customers and then provide appropriate supports to resolve
focuses on the transactional aspects of the business-client their needs and obtain the desired outcomes.
relationship and narrows the customer service responsibility
to those who have direct client facing roles. Customer service, 4. Inspire trust by being trustworthy
rather, should be regarded as a fundamental aspect of every Focus on the wellbeing of others. Be honest about business
job from CEO to front line employees. realities and urgencies. This will create trusting relationships
which will increase the speed and lower the cost of your
Going beyond customer service serves bottom line business outcomes.
objectives. Regardless of the product or service a business
offers, regardless of who is the ultimate consumer, building 5. Nourish others
a “beyond customer service” culture creates a competitive Genuinely care about your people and acknowledge the
advantage and costs little or nothing to implement. unique contributions of each person to the success of the
operation. This inspires organizational citizenship and
Leaders who go beyond customer service understand that the commitment to go beyond customer service.
quality of every interpersonal relationship within a business
will trickle down and enhance the customer experience. They A leader’s top priority is to go beyond customer service and
treat everyone with whom they interact with the same dignity, serve the needs of employees, customers and stakeholders.
sincerity and respect as they would their most important Leadership influence flows from these acts of service because
clients. This includes employees, vendors, creditors and, of they enable others to grow who will, in turn, respond to the
course, clients. leadership influence with greater commitment loyalty and
productivity.
Creating and supporting a beyond customer service culture Murray’s knowledge of sales and leadership has
involves the following steps: been earned through a career that started as a
small business entrepreneur wearing “all the hats”.
He then transitioned into a professional sales and
1. Identify your internal customers leadership career in the insurance industry, where
See each interpersonal and cross-departmental his passion for training and leadership development
was recognized in his appointment as a Senior
relationship in your business as a service relationship. Who Manager.
are the “internal customers” of administration, production, Since 2008, Murray has been a part-time faculty
sales, etc., and what do they need from others within the member at Kitchener, Ontario’s Conestoga College,
organization? School of Business. He currently teaches within the
“Leadership Development Series,” a program helping
managers and management candidates understand
2. Put “customer service” before self interest and implement the principles of effective leadership.
At every relationship interchange ask what individual and/or Murray Smith
organizational needs can I serve to enhance this relationship; The Achievement Centre
P: 519.572.5977
what can I do to improve their experience with me or my msmith@TACresults.com
department?

20 www.cambridgechamber.com
Summer 2018