20 Apr Quality Customer Service Can Improve E&O Loss Prevention Culture
Think back to a recent situation where you encountered a problem in your personal life. The issue may have involved a product you purchased or a service that was provided to you. Now think back to how the person you were dealing with handled the matter. Hopefully, they made your experience better. Unfortunately, more often than not, the person likely made your experience worse. It seems that not everyone knows good customer service, but everyone knows bad customer service.
On a recent drop-off from a subscription food service, I noted that one of the bags was split, exposing the food within. I immediately called to advise the company of this and was informed that someone would call me back that day. A week went by, and no phone call, so I called again. Again, they advised me that someone from the customer service department would be calling me back by the end of that day. It has now been two weeks, and still no response. There is a good chance that I will be using a different food delivery company in the future. If I had received a phone call within hours on the first day, I would have been impressed. Now I feel the total opposite.
Bottom line, how you handle an opportunity like this will determine whether or not you keep your client and if the client takes the matter to the next level (E&O claim).
One of the more popular customer service quotations is from the great Theodore Roosevelt: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
How well are you showing how much you care?
When customers call to complain, the best response is to thank them for taking the time to call. They could have just gone away, and you would never have known why.
In most situations, you should show empathy and compassion. When you do this, there is a good chance that the customer will be impressed and appreciate your level of concern. By offering an empathetic side combined with reliable customer service, the customer will probably respond positively. There is a good chance that you did not cause the problem, but you now must deal with it.
Does good customer service reduce the potential of an E&O claim? It is probably difficult to prove one way or the other, but there is one thing for sure – it doesn’t hurt. Always strive to provide a level of customer service in which you can be proud.