Why everyone should take responsibility for customer service

Imagine the whole family's been indoors all day on a chilly winter Sunday - mainly in the living room. It's getting late and it's time for the 3 kids to start getting ready for bed. So Mom starts tidying up the carnage - and it takes her...say 30 minutes. Let's now imagine a different scenario: Dad suggests "C'mon, lets all pitch in and help Mom tidy up." Well, 30 (minutes) divided by 5 (people) is now reduced to just 6 minutes. Wonderful logic, isn't it?

And so it is with service. If I ran a large company and I employed a Customer Relations person, the last thing I would want her to spend all her time on is handling customer complaints (or tidying the living room) for a host of reasons:

1. When the complaint gets to her it's probably already a mess.

2. Her job should be to promote my organisation, not put out fires continuously.

3. She is probably the most unlikely person to have caused the problem and thus has to research each case to try and dig out the facts.

No sir. Problems, complaints and all customer service issues should really be dealt with and sorted out at source, preferably in the department and by the responsible person. Which means that employees should be empowered, trained and given the responsibility within reasonable parameters to solve customer problems.

Here are the advantages:

1. Problems are addressed quicker, more thoroughly and without the fuss of an "enquiry"

2. Employees deal constructively with issues relating to improving their service levels.

3. Employees are able to develop problem solving skills, use initiative, take on more responsibility and be more productive and effective.

4. The clients' positive perception of your service levels are enhanced

5. Levels of trust between customers and the organisation, as well as internally, increase.

6. The customer service department can get on with promoting the company.

This philosophy is so excruciatingly simple, but yet can be dramatically impactful to your business.

Which brings us back to the living room, Mom. If you're finding yourself doing all the tidying up, ever considered that you may be setting yourself up for it? Tidying up can be great fun when the whole family does it together. So get them involved.

Paul du Toit (July 2004)