3.03 Do you mind?

Great customer service

A customer service mindset is the belief that providing customers with excellent service should be a business's top priority. Smart business owners and managers understand that satisfying customers gives them the ability to achieve their company’s goals.

Employees who have a customer service mindset will do everything in their power to make customers happy. So, how can you tell whether you have a customer service mindset? Ask yourself whether you believe the following:

  • My customers deserve the very best. To provide excellent customer service, you must first believe that your customers truly deserve it. This attitude should apply across the board, from first-time customers to loyal, long-term ones.
  • My customers are my employers. Though they don’t sign your checks, it’s customers who pay your salary. Without them, the business would close, and you would be out of a job. It seems simple, but for too many employees, it’s easy to forget.
  • My customers are entitled to my focused attention. Each customer deserves your complete attention. This doesn't mean that you can or should spend unlimited time with each customer. It does, however, mean that your attention should be focused on each customer in turn, not on what is going on around you.
  • My customers have the right to expect me to be well informed. Customers have a right to expect you to know how to do your job—and how to do it well. This means that you must develop the skills necessary to perform every aspect of your job. You must also be familiar with all of the business's products and policies.
  • My customers' problems and complaints are important. Providing excellent service goes beyond the pleasant parts of the job such as talking to customers, making them feel welcome, and finding products to meet their specific needs. Excellent customer service also includes resolving problems and complaints. Some customers will be very upset about an issue that may not seem very urgent to you. However, if it is urgent to the customer, you must be prepared to find solutions in a timely manner. In addition, you should look at problems and complaints as ways of discovering how you can improve your customer service skills.

So, how did you do? Do you already have a customer service mindset, or is there room for improvement? Next, let’s explore why this mindset is so important to you, your business, and your customers.