Chief Service Officer

Should your c-suite include a Chief Service Officer?

The ongoing financial crisis has put additional pressure on companies which have to work hard to attract new customers. But are you doing enough to retain your existing ones? Isn't it time for your customer service officer to have a sit at the top table  and claim a fair share of the company resources?

To complement this post, we thought it would be useful to include the top 10 items which should feature in the job description of a Chief Service Officer. We will build and refine the list over time but please do not hesitate to leave suggestions in the comment box below. Here are a few items to get us started:

1. Be responsible for the delivery of good customer service to all customers throughout the organisation

2. Define the customer service strategy  

3.Define customer service standards in adequation with the overall direction of the business

4. Establish a set of metrics allowing the company to measure its performance against customer expectations

5. Implement a philosophy of continuous improvement by collecting customer feedback and implementing changes required to improve their experience

6. Raise the role and importance of customer service in the organisation to exploit its potential to become a major revenue generator.

7. Coordinate all customer access channels such as telephone, website, social media, post, email, branches etc

8. Establish a clear value proposition for customers to understand what matters to them and what service can be scaled down

Will this encourage you to recruit a chief service officer?

As a further sign that the emergence of Chief Service Officers may materialise, we have even located a blog dedicated to it - chief service officer blog

Customer engagement strategy

Customer service engagement

What customer engagement strategy ? - The rapid development of computer software technology has meant that a huge number of customer management tools have been launched in the market place.

The use of Social Media in particular has increased exponentially giving the opportunity for many employees to build more human and personal relationships with customers. This investment is often done during working hours, at vast expenses for companies. Unfortunately, the work force has become increasingly mobile and when an employee walks away it can leave a big void. From the company point of view this can mark a time when customer engagement stops abruptly. The clients expect better though and a refined customer engagement strategy will ensure that they do not end up disappointed.

Picture courtesy of Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design with our thanks

Does your customer service run like clockwork?

Does your customer service run like clockwork? It needs to be reliable, accurate, adapt to various conditions, from cold showers to intense heat, and above all give the answer that the customer is looking for. But here comes the challenge: it has to be delivered in a personal manner, it can not be mechanical but can look good. In the way a watch can become a piece of jewellery, if you manage to bring all the pieces together, not only will you have delivered a service fit for purpose but also a superior customer experience


Picture courtesy of http://www.bremont.com/ with our thanks

Are your customer relations as sweet as vinegar?

Customer service relations

The world of fine food has evolved dramatically over the past few years and preconceived ideas have been challenged by the introduction of new products such as sweet vinegars for example. In many companies customer service has long been a synonym of complaints and sour client relations. As a result it has attracted a lot of bad press. With the concerted effort of all concerned in enterprises the customer service department could instead become the sweet spot, the place where clients loyalty is built and reinforced at any opportunity. In order to improve their standing, do make sure that your customer service executives introduce that little drop of sweetness in all their dealings with clients.


Photo credits: “Copyright RFB Photography" with our thanks to Womersley Fruit and Herb Vinegars

Customer service tips

Customer service tips

Treat your customers the way you would like to be treated;

Integrate your customer service with your marketing effort, making it a value-added activity;

Pull your weight as good customer service requires dedication and,

Stand out to make sure your efforts are noticed

Picture courtesy of Hargreaves Plants with our thanks

to be continued...

More customer service tips

 Having put together our top five customer service tips a little while ago, we though it would be worthwhile adding to the original list. At the moment, the only certainty is that there are plenty of them. Whilst we build a list, please do leave us a comment below to suggest some tips to be added to the list. Thank you







There are many resources on the internet providing lists of steps to go through if you (and your employees) want to provide a great service to your customers:
We will suggest some further reading to do if you are interested in the topic. To quick start the list here are a few suggestions:
-  Tips for empowering customer service employees

Customer service employees: have they come out of their shell?

Customer service employees

As your customer service employees return from their summer holidays, do make sure that the benefits of a relaxing time on the beach is being felt by your clients. Is the outlook of your customer service employees changing? Have they come out of their shell? They should be given more of a free rein to resolve customers issues and problems before they fall back into their well-worn customer service old habits. Whilst procedures and discipline should not be overlooked, an empowered customer service workforce is very likely to be more enthusiastic and able to deploy its skills more effectively.