July 2021 – Customer Service Mediator

THE POWER OF FOCUSING ON A NICHE

July 29, 2021/4 Comments/in Article/by siteadmin

niche market

A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focused. The market niche defines products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population. It is also called a small market segment. The niche market is highly specialized, and aiming to survive among the competition from numerous super companies.

A niche market is homogenous meaning that the people within that market have similar problems or needs that you intend to solve. A niche market is characteristically small so it is measurable. Capital needs can also be determined and net profit calculated based on the market size, so you can know if the business is worth doing.

The good thing about niche business is that you can channel your limited resources into efficiently solving the problem of your target audience enough to gain their trust and retain them.

Since you can identify your target audience, you do not need to spend too much on marketing to the general population. You create your brand and market your brand specifically to your target market.

Referral or word-of-mouth marketing is a big bonus in a niche business. If you offered an excellent service to a customer, he/she would recommend you to another potential customer. If you have a website or social media page, you could convince your satisfied customer to write a review of your service on the page. Research has proven that referral marketing is the most effective form of marketing and it is free of charge.

Your customers are easily identifiable and accessible so you can cut out a lot of unnecessary costs in production and service delivery. If you need to use influencers, you can easily identify the right influencers that fit your niche, you may discover that some influencers are willing to promote your services unprompted and for free because they also fall into your target audience.

niche strategy

Niche Market Strategy

So, what do you need? You need a market strategy or in this case, a niche strategy. Here is a list of what your niche strategy should include:

Carry out a market analysis. Here, you will:

Select your target audience
Determine an underserved or unmet need

iii. Research your customer base

Create your business plan.
Market your business to your target audience.

CUSTOMER SERVICE MEDIATOR: THE CUSTOMER’S ADVOCATE

July 21, 2021/2 Comments/in Uncategorized/by siteadmin

Who holds service providers accountable?

Customers need a mediator that can get their complaints heard and addressed on time by service providers. Service providers hold so much influence over our daily lives because we depend on them for every interaction. From the simplest personal activity to more complex social activities, service providers are the powerful influencers.

The basic human needs which are essential for survival are no longer in the hands of each individual. We depend on enterprises and corporations to help us meet these needs. So who holds manufacturers and service providers accountable?

If customers are the reasons why businesses exist in the first place, then these customers should be able to influence and drive the right kinds of service that they desire and deserve. It is our basic human right or in this case, consumers right, to demand and get quality service that we are paying for. But, it is often unclear what rights consumers have and how far-reaching it is. Hence, service providers for years have taken advantage of this loophole to exploit their customers for maximum profits.

What if there is an advocate for the customers? What if there is an independent body to oversee and ensure fairness in the interactions between service providers and their customers?

Well, there is!

Customer Service Mediator (CSM)

The sole mission of Customer Service Mediator (CSM) is to bridge the service gap between demand and satisfaction. Customers now have a mediator to report to when any product or service provider defaults in meeting the terms of their agreement which has already been paid for. Send your unattended complaints, delayed/unacknowledged issues and poor customer service reports directly to CSM. You can rest assured that they would be taken up with the concerned service providers. CSM will follow up on every complaint until a mutually satisfying solution is reached.

Have you been frustrated by any poor service or product lately? Send in your complaints to info@csmng.org or tag us to your complaints on social media (@csmnig) and we will take it up from there. Telecommunication, FMCG, Transportation, Hospitality, Fast foods and restaurants, IT, Finance/Fintech, Electricity, Social Services, Healthcare, Education, Delivery services, SMEs, prepaid TV services, Entertainment and other customer services issues in any industry will be handled with all seriousness.

Contact Us Now

No matter how little you are paying or how small the issue is, if you are paying for it you deserve to be well-served.

Send in your complaints in video formats, text or pictures.

Let us champion the course of customer service for everyone. Customers should be the real influencers.

Contact us now and get your right!

THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPATHY IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

July 15, 2021/14 Comments/in Article/by siteadmin

empathy in customer service

Customer service is the process of providing services to customers. In general, empathy improves the quality of customer service because it establishes a connection or bond between the customer and the employee.

Offering great customer service is no longer just a nice touch— it is fast becoming the key differentiator between business success and failure. Luckily, today’s companies can harness their power by developing one important trait – empathy.

Maintain this level of understanding for your customer and your chances of ending each conversation on a positive note will increase.

When you consider that 89% of companies compete on the quality of customer service alone, the impact of empathy becomes a clear differentiator. It can be the important difference between a positive and a negative peak; a loyal customer, or a competitor’s gain.

Empathy is Customer Service

You can spend all day talking with customers who have had problems with the company. Some of their problems may or may not have a resolution, but you can always show empathy. In doing so you:

Help the customer feel heard
Acknowledge their feelings
Provide a good experience

Without empathy, the interaction can be cold and off-putting to customers, thus increasing the conflict.

Think of frontline customer service teams. Even in the best of times, it’s hard to keep up the optimistic, empathetic, and professional tone customers expect. Customer service teams are called upon to communicate with empathy all day, every day.

Customer service challenges amplify during times of crisis or uncertainty, as customers may need payment grace periods or policy exceptions for returns. No matter their requests, customers are counting on empathy, and they reward personal interactions that help them feel respected and understood.

Customer empathy can make a real difference during difficult times

People yearn for their needs to be considered and understood, especially during times of upheaval like we’re experiencing now. Agents will be dealing with customers that have lost their jobs, businesses, and even their loved ones. In difficult circumstances, even minor situations carry a much heavier weight.

As a company, you have the power to make a positive difference in your customer’s day, and in turn, create a loyal customer for life. Remember that one small act of goodwill can start a movement. And all it takes is a little empathy.

Credits: Dixa; Study.com

Descriptive- showing a female employee attending to a young customer

How to Create a Team of Customer-Focused Employees

July 7, 2021/0 Comments/in Article/by siteadmin

customer-focused employee

There is no magic formula for creating a team of customer-focused employees. But one thing is certain: it’s the manager’s responsibility to create an environment that motivates employees to want to take care of customers. To create a team of employees that are personally committed to service excellence, managers may need a fresh point of view. One of the great problems in customer service is the reluctance of managers to view service as a marketing strategy. Too many see it as an after-sale service related to a previous sale, rather than ahead of the next one. Studies prove that great service is more effective at increasing profits than marketing or advertising.

The following conditions need to be met for creating customer-focused teams:

Management Commitment

Replace lip service with words and actions that consistently show employees that management is committed to the delivery of exceptional customer service. Staff meetings should focus more on meeting the needs of the customer than meeting the needs of the manager.

Employee Involvement

Listen to employee ideas. Sam Walton said, “Listen to everyone in your company, especially the ones who actually talk to customers. They know what’s going on out there.” Implement realistic, creative ideas that benefit the customer. No matter how far removed employees are from the front line, they need to believe that their work affects the customer perceptions of the company.

Policies That Benefit The Customer

Evaluate existing policies and rules to see if they are really necessary. Who benefits from them? How much do they damage customer relationships? How often are they bent or broken by managers? If a policy needs to be in place, make sure that every employee on the team understands the reasons behind it. Trust employees. Give employees the ability and power to do the right thing for the customer–right away. Don’t undermine an employee by overriding their decision to help the customer.

Shared Customer Feedback

Everyone on the team needs to hear from the customers. Share customer satisfaction survey results. Read letters and comments from customers during staff meetings. Encourage the team to come up with a list of open-ended questions they can ask customers regularly to invite feedback and ideas for improving service. A quality service program will come to a screeching halt without management commitment, employee involvement and constant reinforcement. You know you’re part of a customer-focused team when the most important question on the mind of managers and employees alike is, “How can I do my work in a way that will delight the customer?”

Internal Customer Service

Create a “we’re in this together” environment. Help your employees to recognize that everyone in the company is one big team. Meet with other departments regularly to build understanding and collaboration between work teams. Set ground rules that simply do not tolerate gossip. Redirect employees who complain by challenging them to come up with solutions to problems.

Employee Training

View training as an investment, not a cost. This can be an investment in both customer and employee retention. Training employees is an investment in sales and marketing. It is also an investment in quality. Training must be a priority and an ongoing reinforcement of the customer focus. Provide training that equips employees with the skills and tools they need to deliver exceptional customer service.

Credit: Loyalty Leader® Inc