Customer Service vs Customer Satisfaction

A couple of days ago I purchased an online subscription to aid me in my Internet marketing venture. However in the purchasing process there was a glitch and then a hiccup and then an error and magically 2 purchases showed up on my account. I noticed the purchases last night as I was reviewing my accounts and obviously put, “Get some Benjamin’s back” on my to do list. Upon waking up this morning I was checking my email and I noticed an email from the company where the error occurred. The beat me to the punch, emailed me and told me that they were sorry for the mix up! Then preceded to tell me that since they were in the UK that the refund should hit my account within 10 days! I was blown away so I emailed them my gratitude and then…they responded back to me in less than 5 minutes! Tell me of a company that provides customer satisfaction on that level? Does yours?

Customer Service vs Customer Satisfaction

Getting money back from a company can be like pulling teeth and in truth a refund is the last thing that your customers want to deal with. This company out in UK skipped over customer care and went right into customer satisfaction. Are you superseding your customer’s expectations? Every company big and small has either a customer service department or at least expectations of how they are going to treat their customers but that does not guarantee their customer’s satisfaction.

When your customers are satisfied they will not price compare, they will not seek your competition and they will recommend your business. Why? Your customer is satisfied. Let me give you 3 examples of how to can provide customer satisfaction over customer care:

Customer Service Examples

1. May I help you find something ~ Every store says this
2. We will give your money back with a receipt ~ Your competition does this also
3. Friendly cashiers ~ Not everyone has this but customers expect your cashiers to be nice

Customer Satisfaction Examples

1. May I give you a complimentary coffee or hot tea while you look around? ~ Then do not try to sell them the coffee. But while you are fixing their drink mention some of the sales that you are having and point them in the direction of the item they are seeking.
2. Give them a discount card when you return their money. ~ Unfortunately your customer was not satisfied with their purchase so they had to return the item. No customer likes to return items. The process is inconvenient and often times you are dealing with the worst clerks who make you feel like you just robbed the store. Sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and then offer them a 15% discount card for all of their troubles. Now that would be customer satisfaction.
3. Offer personal shoppers and portable cashiers. ~ Imagine if the customers who requested a personal shopper could have a knowledgeable clerk help them with all of their shopping needs and then when everything is all said and done could check them out in Aisle 19? Then escort them to their car. I guarantee you that your competition is not doing that and your customers will talk about the experience until they get blue in the face.

Give Customers Something Positive to Talk About

People are looking for something to talk about. They will talk about celebrities, family members, politics, religion and your business. They always want to give their opinion on a matter because they feel like they have the most important opinion…and you are of the same mindset. Therefore if you make them feel like they are the most important individuals who have ever entered your world than you will be feeding that internal desire. Once feed they will keep coming back to your store not even knowing why and they will also be your best saleswomen on the street. So forget customer service and provide customer satisfaction.

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