Customer Service from a Marketer’s Perspective

Y’all, this is my biggest pet peeve. AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE.

They say when you have a negative experience, you are likely to tell at least 10 other people, but when you have a great experience, you tend to tell one or two – if that. Why is that? We need to flip that script. Start shouting from the rooftops when you have an amazing customer experience. In case you weren’t already aware, a referral is the best compliment any business can receive. Hands down!

As a marketer, awful customer service could not be more than the worst thing ever. Am I right? We spin our wheels, spend our dollars, and shout from the rooftops how amazing our business is… only to a negative review or hear how awful their experience was. Wait. WHAT! How??? You can have the absolute BEST marketing strategy, the best paid ad campaign, the best organic reach and the prettiest Instagram feed … but if you have an operational problem, then it all goes to shit. Literally. And it is frustrating, infuriating, throw down the books and F it – annoying. But, you can’t do that.

So, what can you do?

I have run into this time and time again as a marketer for larger corporate companies; especially those with multiple offices, providers, and staff. Not everyone in the company is on the same page when it comes to the company culture, values, and mission – and honestly, some may not even realize they act in a way that brings out a bad customer experience – and others, just don’t care – they still get a paycheck at the end of the day! So, here are a few quick tips that may help.

• MISSION. Make the mission of your business known. Is it posted in the office or in the breakroom? Do you go over it when you train new employees and explain why you do what you do? Does your CEO / owner / COO show face, talk to the employees, and encompass the mission? These are all key components of the employee “buy-in” to the company.
• VISION. Do you have a vision? Do your employees know your vision? Are they included in that vision and the growth of the organization? Can they clearly see where you want to go and how you plan on getting there? Mission and vision statements are crucial to any business, whether it is just you – or you and a team of 500.
• ENGAGEMENT. This is self-explanatory. Engage with your employees. A lot of times, especially in corporate settings, employees feel that the “big bosses” are so far removed from what is actually going on and how things are ran on a real level. Always stay engaged. This can be through surveys, site visits, or simply working with your staff. 
• MORALE. This is directly related to your culture. Your employees need to have high morale. The environment they work in cannot be toxic and negative. If you have one bad apple in the group – get rid of them! They are doing no good for you, your business or customer service. The negativity from one can bring an entire office down. When employees make mistakes or act out, are they held accountable for others to know? When an employee is consistently late or calls out for the day – for example – and never written up – others begin to wonder why they actually never do the same… and morale goes down.
• EMPOWER. Are your employees micromanaged or empowered to make decisions? Do they feel valued and are told that they are doing a great job? When they make a mistake – are they punished or coached? Are the leaders of your business able to perform write ups and contribute to employee evaluations?