Customer Service that Builds Advocates - (Cont'd)
William J. Schroer

When we see genuine customer service, what are we seeing, what does it yield and how do we measure it?

I will submit excellent Customer Service evolves from a pyramid of service value that looks like this.:

This crude diagram helps demonstrate two critical points. First, performing to standard does not get you more than the base level of Customer Satisfaction. Customers have already factored in the “standard” into their expectations. Your staff performing to standard becomes a cost of doing business...not a Lucky Strike extra.

Secondly, the path to true Customer Advocacy is what we are really seeking. Satisfaction is a benchmark level indicator that reflects more the absence of a problem than a customer sense of being “Wowed”. If we really want to attract attention, we need to build “advocates”. Those patrons/customers who go out and sell other people on how wonderful we are. Advocates are worth their weight in gold..especially when the time comes for a levy, millage or bond issue to be passed for library expansion, etc.
 
 
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