Customer Service Information

Customer Satisfaction and the Service Business


The relationship between customer satisfaction and success of a service business is a direct one. Customer satisfaction measurement, however, is a much more complex matter. Customer satisfaction is a qualitative assessment of the services you provide, and therefore it is a surrogate measure of the value of your services to your customers.

The measurement method you choose can make makes a difference to the results obtained. Your motivation for measuring customer satisfaction will drive both your methodology for collecting the data, and what you do with it.

Client satisfaction data can be collected for:

  • Accountability

  • To use to influence or justify

  • Continuous improvement

Be clear about why you are collecting satisfaction data; to deliver a good report card (a primary motivation of units in a large corporation or public sector entity, or for businesses which are required to meet certain standards), or to diagnose and manage continuous improvement.

For a good report card, measure general satisfaction using a once-a-year survey. Every business wants a good report card, but that will not help you improve your performance. To obtain useful data you need to measure client satisfaction with specific attributes of your service at the time of the transaction.

Some tips:

  • As a psychological construct satisfaction is peculiar - results are always negatively skewed. The good news is that more people report being satisfied than dissatisfied. The bad news is that if you're getting less than a 95-98% satisfaction rate, you need to investigate, identify and fix the problem. And there's always the possibility that high satisfaction may indicate low expectation. Are your customers satisfied more because your competition delivers poor service and thus anyone who provides pretty ordinary service will get good customer satisfaction feedback?

  • The method you use for collecting satisfaction data can influence the results

  • Oral administration of satisfaction questions "improves" satisfaction by as much as 12% compared with written questionnaires - wonderful if you're looking for a good report, but something to watch out for if you're looking for information about in what areas you need to lift your game

  • Clients report higher levels of satisfaction if you frame the question positively than if you frame the same question negatively

  • Measurement at the time a service is delivered more accurately, reflects level of satisfaction and avoids the halo effect of one particularly good or spectacularly bad experience

  • Interviews deliver more complete and revealing answers but are expensive and dependent on interviewer skill and impartiality

  • Focus groups may not accurately represent the entire customer group

Finally, never forget that emphasis on satisfaction of current customer demands can inhibit the development of innovations that can meet the future, or current, but unstated, demands of those same customers. That's why you need to keep talking to them.

Try the one question survey: pick a question for a period of time and include it in every conversation you have with a client.

Jennifer Cram is a sought-after civil celebrant based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She has also has 30 experience as a manager in the public sector and has published numerous papers on measuring service performance. For more information http://www.jennifercram.com and http://www.alia.org.au/~jcram/

Copyright © 2005 Jennifer Cram. You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Monster Breaks Ground on State-of-the-Art Customer Service ...
MarketWatch - 17 hours ago
today to officially break ground on Monster's new state-of-the-art customer service facility in Florence, South Carolina. Monster is the leading global ...
Monster Worldwide to open SC customer center CNNMoney.com
Monster.com breaks ground in South Carolina Hilton Head Island Packet
Monster builds in the South Bizjournals.com
all 23 news articles


Carolina Call Center Delivers Flexible Customer Service with Five9 ...
MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
A leading provider of customer service to the education sector, Carolina Call Center delivers consultative support to parents, students, and educators ...


Convergys wins FDIC customer service subcontract
Bizjournals.com, NC - 13 hours ago
Under the contract, awarded through contractor Apptis Inc., Convergys is handling customer service calls to the FDIC’s help line, according to a news ...
Convergys Partners with Apptis to Provide Call Center Services to FDIC TMCnet
Convergys Provides Relationship Management Support to the FDIC WELT ONLINE
all 28 news articles


Neocase Software Appoints Julien Dahan Chief Executive Officer
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
Neocase Software is a leading provider of customer service solutions for shared service centers and customer support operations. It empowers large global ...


Council vote on customer service centers causes consternation
San Diego Union Tribune, CA - 23 hours ago
Yesterday, the council voted 5-3 to restore six customer service centers, which offer residents a neighborhood stop to pay city bills or ask questions, ...


Intec Appoints Andrew Meyler as VP Customer Services
MarketWatch - Dec 1, 2008
The new Customer Services role at Intec will play a key part in delivering operational value, and help our customers respond to market challenges. ...


JetBlue to Add Two New International Routes from Fort Lauderdale
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
The airline, best known for its award-winning in-flight experience and its commitment to customer service, intends to commence daily nonstop service from ...
JetBlue to Add Two New International Routes from Fort Lauderdale International Business Times
all 41 news articles


Consumer Reports: Cell Phone Service Improves
MarketWatch - 13 hours ago
The company received high marks in overall satisfaction and customer service, and service is available in most of the country. ...
Verizon Trounces Competition in Wireless Quality PC World
More users happy with their cell phone service TMCnet
Verizon Tops Consumer Reports Cell Satisfaction Survey Wireless and Mobile News
all 17 news articles


CTA lacks customer service
Chicago Tribune, United States - 10 hours ago
Before instituting a fare hike, perhaps the CTA could work on customer service. On Monday night, I was on the #151 when it stopped at Sheridan and Foster to ...


Product Reviews

Simplexity Reports Record Breaking Sales of Cell Phones on Black ...
MarketWatch - 12 hours ago
Simplexity's technology solutions include merchandising, procurement, customer service, billing, customer relationship marketing, order processing and cell ...
Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday AssociatedPress
Reasons for Retail Hope SourceWire (press release)
INTERNET SHOPPING: ‘Cyber Monday’ drives seasonal employment Atlanta Journal Constitution
KFOR - Christian Science Monitor
all 1,796 news articles

customer service - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.