July 12, 2013 - By No matter how small, the promises you make in customer service will largely dictate your customer experience and can build or break a brand.
Do the promises you make in customer service matter? You bet they do.
Some people think that only the BIG promises really matter and so it’s ok to fall short on delivering the small stuff you promise your customers. Frank Sonnenberg recently shared his 5 reasons why customer service promises matter every time.
Trust is built through a series of experiences shared with others. When behavior is consistent, faith in the relationship develops. When promises are broken or people are misled, the bonds of trust are breached.
Frank reminds us that promises are frequently made at the drop of a hat with no real intention of keeping them. “Let’s do lunch,” “I’ll call you later,” and “I’ll be there in five minutes” all are examples of the type promises that we make with no intention of following through, however they have a big effect in the relationship you create by failing to keep your promise.
Exceptional customer experiences that build fantastic customer relationships require that you always tell the customer service truth, the whole customer service truth, and nothing but the customer service truth.
When you break the promises you make, no matter how insignificant, it has a damaging effect on the customer relationship, the level of trust your customers have, and ultimately your brand’s customer service reputation.
Even the smallest promise made but not intended to keep (a.k.a. A LIE) will still lay the foundation for future broken promises. It establishes a habit that is extremely difficult to break.
- A customer service promise is still a promise
- Never promise what you can’t deliver
- Broken promises are inexcusable
- A half-truth is still a lie
Your customer service word is your customer experience bond
Today’s customers want to connect with your brand, your people, and your service in a personal way. Customers today want the service experience to mean something more than just a transaction. They want it to be fulfilling, enriching, elevating, and inspiring. Developing the type of relationships that create loyal customers requires more than just delivering a product, it has to make life better. The only way to do this is by becoming real, becoming human, and becoming personal. Keeping customer service promises is a step towards that path of the enriching customer experience.
