The Cost of Failing to Deliver Your Promises

Customers can and will switch allegiance if you fail to meet their expectations.

Customers are seeking more personalised, authentic and relevant experiences. Mass marketing, or a one size fits all customer experience, deliver diminishing returns and dilute customer relationships.

Joanna Causon, Chief Executive of the Institute of Customer Service (ICS)

I don't know about you...but I’m fed up with bad attitudes, slow service and empty promises from service providers who, no doubt mean well, but seem to have forgotten why they’re there. Customers are the life blood of any business and should be treated with the care, attention and respect they deserve.

In fact, failure to deliver authentic customer experiences can result in…

• A loss of reputation

• Shrinking profits

• Low staff morale

• Increased staff turnover

• Increased client attrition

• Higher recruitment costs (employees and clients)

• Reduced organic growth

• Loss of up-selling and cross-selling opportunities

• Wasted time, effort and money

Or as one of my clients succinctly said:

When we get it wrong, we’re handing our customers to the competition on a silver platter.

Did you know that research by the ICS shows the highest performing organisations see customer service as integral to their business performance and proactively seek ways to measure its impact?

It seems, like me they are seeking the services of real people in companies that:

  • consistently provide a friendly, genuine and honest approach to business
  • appreciate the need to develop sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships with clients
  • can be counted on and trusted
  • bother to listen to their clients’ needs, challenges and problems and offer appropriate, bespoke solutions, not a one size fits all

How does your business measure up against these customer requirements?

If you are an independent professional, or own a small business offering services, solutions or experiences to your customers and you want to thrive in an increasingly competitive market, your ability to provide an authentic service people can trust is paramount.

Customers can afford to be more discerning as they are now spoilt for choice, having access to a wide array of service providers and numerous options. All of these are accessible, faster and more cost effectively than ever. So, if they choose you, be honoured, be grateful and be mindful that they can and will switch allegiance if you fail to meet their expectations.

Categories: : Deliver on your promises