Modes

Customer service occurs via telephone, over the Internet and face-to-face.

Expectations

Customers should expect customer service representatives to be knowledgeable, helpful and polite. On the other hand, customers should be patient and have their information ready for the representatives. This will assure that the customer's issue is handled promptly and properly.

Customers

Each person in a company is involved in customer service. There are internal (within the company) and external (outside of the company) customers. Internal customers are those who work within the same company and serve other departments. External customers are vendors, clients and those that do not work within the company.

Experience

A quality customer service experience is one in which the customer's issue is resolved at the first point of contact with the company. If follow-up is needed, the representative must inform the customer of the next steps along, with time lines for completion.

Statistics

According to Lee Resources, for every customer who complains, 26 others simply stop doing business with the company. Sixty-eight percent of customers stop patronizing a company because of indifference to the customer's needs.

Source:

Inc:The Real Cost of Customer Service

CustomerServiceManager: Poor Customer Service Cost Companies Millions

CustomerServiceManager: Facts

Resource:

Customer Service Manager