Customer service is at an all-time low. The sad part is we as consumers have been taught to expect the current level as the norm. That’s why it’s so easy for a company to be considered a customer service superstar simply by providing a slightly higher than expected level of service.
Part of the difficulty is that companies aren’t setting their standards high enough. We live in a time where common expectations are considered benefits, or worse, something to strive for.
Luckily, for consumers that is, since the adoption of social media, consumers can now share their experiences with each other. This will eventually lead to heightened expectations of customer service. The companies who learn to provide, nay exceed, these expectations will not only reap the benefits of happier, returning customers; but the sharing of these experiences on social media.
7 Customer Expectations Confused for Benefits
Trustworthiness & Honesty/ Integrity
These really should be misnomers shouldn’t they? But I’ve read gads of mission statements and Customer Dedication Mandates that state that the company strives for, or is dedicated to being trustworthy and doing business with honesty and integrity. Duh?
Who would do business with anyone who didn’t?
In the words of my Dad, “Never trust anyone who says trust me!” If they feel the need to mention it, there’s a reason for you to question it.
Trust, and Honesty or Integrity are expectations, not benefits or added values. These are understood as social norms and unless you want your trustworthiness and/or honesty brought into question, they have no place in your company mission statement, mantra or goals. The only reason I can think that this would have any place in a statement from a company would be if you’re a regulatory authority who attempts to ensure that companies operate with them.
Quality, Fair Price & Value
Again, a little shocked that these need to be mentioned but I’ve seen them a lot in company messaging.
Who seeks to buy an overpriced piece of junk? Nobody that’s who!
Everyone expects that all products are of quality materials, ingredients and workmanship.
Everyone expects that we’ll receive products and services at a price that’s fair.
Everyone expects that at the end of the transaction, we’ll have received adequate value for our dollar.
The difficulty with this one is that, because there are companies that offer such little value on overpriced and under-quality products we feel the need to persuade customers that our company is different. I urge you to find another point of differentiation; something that that will exceed your customer’s basic social expectations.
Don’t allow the deficiencies of your competition to water down your own promises.
Transparency
The curtain has really been pulled back on this one since the introduction of social media, but it surely should’ve been understood all along. Stories of child labour, alternate meat sources and blood diamonds are just a few examples of companies behaving badly that resulted in unfavourable consumer sentiment when word of their practices got out.
People expect that your business practices are not only going to remain within the limits of the law, but also within the social boundaries. While protecting trade secrets is one thing, hiding your processes because you’re not sure how others will feel about them is completely another.
If you remain transparent throughout your business practices, the chances of you doing something that you shouldn’t will decrease. Nobody acts wrongly if they believe they’re going to get caught and then, you can quit touting the fact that you’re being transparent when it’s something that is generally expected anyway. What are you hiding behind that curtain?
Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff
From my years of radio copywriting, this one is an old favourite. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to hit someone with my “friendly, knowledgeable staff” because this should be redundant. Why would anyone walk into a business expecting that the staff would be ornery and completely uninformed about their products or services? This isn’t a benefit or a highlight, it’s an expectation.
Please, please stop announcing that you have the basic expected requirements of doing business. Discover what it is that truly makes your company different. What does your company do to exceed my expectations as a customer? And please stop with the general cover-all phrases like “customers are number 1”, “dedicated to customer satisfaction” and “satisfaction guaranteed”. How exactly do you guarantee my satisfaction? Put your money where your words are and put it in writing. Offer me something tangible that I can hold you accountable for and be prepared to give me my money back if I am truly unsatisfied. Set your company’s standards higher than the expected social norms and work towards exceeding rather than meeting customer satisfaction expectations, the results may be something worth talking about…by your customers that is!
Are there any other expectations confused as benefits that I’ve missed?
How do you exceed customer expectations?
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