These are some key improvements in customer service that will produce the biggest impact on corporate reputation and the bottom line:
- Complaint handling: Improvements here keep current customers happy and reduce the number of people who can spread unfavorable perceptions, according to Peter Gurney of Service Intelligence.
- On-hold time: Some companies have been able to calculate down to the minute the drop in customer loyalty that results from being on-hold when calling the company with a question or complaint, says Jay Williamson of Kowal Associates.
- Special requests: handling special requests well-either fulfilling them or working empathetically with customers on them-boosts customer satisfaction, Gurney says.