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  How do you compare? Tips to Provide Best-in-Class Customer Service
Written by Susan Hoekstra   

In order to truly be considered best in class, expand the scope of who you compare your service experience. Chances are, your clients are already doing so.


I had to call the customer-service department the other day at my wireless-service company, and listened to a series of prompts and sub-prompts. As I was doing so, I was thinking I wouldn't be in a phone maze if if I called my bank, because they always have someone pick up the phone. They have no prompts on their phones. Think about that though. These two companies aren't in the same industry and yet I am comparing the experience I have at one with the other.

Chances are your clients are doing the same thing. They're comparing your service delivery to the service they get from industries you wouldn't even consider to be your competition. When is the last time you walked into a store and compared the employees you met to those you met at Disney? Or compared the website of one company to the website to another in a different industry? Your service may be adequate if you're only comparing your service delivery to your competition, but what if you were to expand the scope to best-in-class service providers, just as your clients are? How would you measure up then?

If you want to turn your clients into advocates, it is necessary to provide best-in-class service for the touch points that are important to your clients. This is true because even if your customers don't leave, they also may not tell others they should work with you either. Why would they, if the service you provide compared to best-in-class service providers falls short?
  • List all of your customer-touch points. Include things such as your phones, website, statements, office, store or restaurant. Detail the experience.
  • Detail the best-in-class service experience for each touch point listed above. This isn't going to be the experience provided by your competition, but the best-in-class experience by anyone in any industry.
  • Compare the experience you provide to the best-in-class service provider. That will identify your true gap.
  • Prioritize and close the important gaps based upon what is important to your clients and the cost and difficulty to implement the change. But understand where you stand all the same.
In order to truly be considered best in class, expand the scope of who you compare your service experience. Chances are, your clients are already doing so.

Susan Hoekstra is principal consultant of Susan Hoekstra & Associates and author of The Service Journey. She has a proven 25 year history developing customer service strategies and solutions including strategy development, training, presentations, recognition programs, surveys, and contact center CRM technologies.