face to face customer serviceI am a strong believer in end-to-end customer service. It’s all very well for a brand to be brilliant when you visit the shop, but if you have to call them and the experience is bad, it colours your whole perception of that company.
Face-to-face customer service has its own unique challenges, not least that the representative can see as well as hear a customer’s reaction to what they are saying. But a lot of the issues are the same as in a contact centre – managing volume, workforce planning, effective training, measuring performance, incentivising staff, and tailoring the experience for the individual customer. And it is hugely important in forming public opinion of a brand.
That’s why I’m so glad that the European Call Centre and Customer Service Awards is recognising the importance of face to face customer contact, as well as service given over the phone or online. Two new categories for 2012 – ‘best high street customer service’ and ‘best travel and leisure customer service’ – will highlight those brands committed to making customers feel great on the shop floor.
If you work for a brand that is committed to customer service right from the shop floor to the back office, do make sure you forward the details of the awards to the person who heads up your face-to-face customer experience – it will make your company shine all the brighter to do well in all aspects of customer service.
The awards will be open for entries on 1st March, but you can view the full list of categories, and what the judges will be looking for here.
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