Managing customer service, or customer relationship management (CRM) is the process in which a company’s interactions with current and potential customers are monitored and maintained. It is important that the company not only manage customer service for potential customers, but also concentrate on customers who are currently purchasing their product or service and customers who have already purchased it. Successful customer service consists of the following: positive attitude, customers are always right, and the mindset that you are working with and for other people. As service is intangible, it is difficult to determine when the company is producing positive customer service. Intangibles deal with the human side of an organization. These include emotions, behaviours, understandings, feelings, and perceptions.¹ There are different types of customer service management:
- Marketing: systems are developed to track campaigns over a number of communication channels, like email, search engines and social media. By understanding the market, a company can determine the services it should be offering its existing and potential customers.
- Customer service and support: this describes the actual customer service and support offered by the company for its products and services. An example of this is a call center, where customers can call to get assistance with their product.
As customers want to feel valued, therefore good customer service should include the following characteristics:
- The representative should listen to the customer’s every need so they feel understood.
- The representative should be reliable and helpful.
- The representative should understand that the customer wants to feel important and appreciated. Individual customers are what make up all of the product sales.
Reference:
1. Antariksa, Y. (May 19, 2007). Managing Customer Service. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/nusantara99/managing-customer-service