Values based Customer Service

Following on from our amazing client survey results I wanted to share with you a few secrets to our customer service success. The following four points are my top tips:

1. Recruit the right people who live your company values

Experience in the role is obviously important but values cannot be developed, so invest wisely at the recruitment stage. Your staff are your shop window and if you wish to portray a company with specific values then install these into your staff. The Business Services team at OnTrack are involved in all stages of the ‘booking’ process for our clients. We strive to ensure that at every touch point they are treated as the only client we have dealt with that day (in truth we tend to be dealing with at least 20 to 30 different projects in one go!) We go Over, Above and Beyond where possible and strive for Better and Better all the Time on a daily basis.

2. When an incidence occurs, remember it’s not the issue that the client will remember but how you resolved it

Of course there are times when something goes wrong – we are all human! When this happens the team at OnTrack will put the problem right for the client. We are very solution focussed and will stop at nothing to resolve the issue. Once the issue has been rectified we will then review what went wrong. All aspects are considered and we emphasise on what can be learnt for the future. Our clients appreciate our honesty and swift approach to dealing with queries. The Business Services team will communicate with others around the business so those that need to know are fully informed. Project review meetings are regularly held for all key players so everyone can agree actions and be party to all the information at the right time.

3. Use email with caution and always read back what you have written

Email is probably one of the worst inventions to promote good communication skills. Have you ever tried telling a joke over email? Chances are the punch line fell flat. Without listening and seeing our clients we can not tell how they really feel, so when imparting information over email the message has to be given clearly. The Business Services team at OnTrack pick up the phone and talk to our clients as much as possible – especially when the message is a difficult one. Telephone communication is then followed up by a summarising email. (We will often sanitise an email communication with another member of staff just to make sure the message is clear and concise.)

4. Be clear in your communication and own the outcome

“Words should be used as tools of communication and not as a substitute for action”. – Anonymous

Another of our four values is ‘My word is my Bond’ and as the quote above highlights is that communication is meaningless without the action that follows it up. A good point to remember is that we judge ourselves by our intention and others by their action. We may well intend to provide the best possible customer service to our clients but unless we prove this with our action then it is meaningless and will be portrayed as bad customer service. Here at OnTrack we are ‘One Team, One Family, One OnTrack’ and so we ensure everyone can answer a clients query rather than passing a message on and letting someone else deal with it. Our clients appreciate our attention to detail in answering their questions fully.

So, as you can tell the OnTrack values are pivotal in ensuring our success in achieving Most Valued Development Partner status with all of our clients and is why our clients come back time and again to have OnTrack fulfil their development needs.