Be Different or be dead

November 17, 2014

Why customer policies should always be made with saying yes! in mind

Source: Unsplash

Why customer policies should always be made with saying yes! in mind.

‘Dumb rules’ have an extremely negative impact on your customers and your brand; they make you say NO!

Dumb rules are rules and policies that are internally focused, serve an internal purpose and make no sense to customers.

They infuriate people and can make them leave, screaming to their friends about the terrible customer service they have experienced.

Rules, policies and procedures are necessary in any organization. The question is for what purpose? Most rule systems in organizations today, however, exist for management control purposes.

The need to ensure consistent behavior. The need to satisfy Internal Audit that costs are being controlled. The need to ensure that the internal standards are being observed.

The problem is, people don’t really care about the rules. They just want to be served in an effective manner to get their wants satisfied. The rules are the organization’s problem.

What if we created YES! rules for customers?

▪️Rules that are built to allow customers to get what they want in the manner they want.

▪️Rules that empower frontline employees to Say Yes! to whatever reasonable request the customer makes.

▪️Rules that allow frontline employees to create a dazzling service experiences for their customers.

▪️Rules that recognize that every person is different and unique in some special way.

▪️Rules that recognize that your brand is ultimately controlled by customers and the conversation they have about an organization.

Sure, rules to control are necessary to ensure the business is run effectively. Financial reporting and cost management require a degree of oversight to meet specific external requirements.

But these control rules are so prevalent in organizations today that they can drown the customer experience and leave customers angry and frustrated.

The rules evolve to take precedence over the customer.

The rules suck the humanity out of many organizations. The internal rule dominates.

Why not engage the customer in designing The rule? Ask them if your approach would dazzle them or annoy them. Ask for their input.

Open your organization to them. Expose your humanity.

Get to YES!. Your customers will return the favour.

Cheers,
Roy
Check out my BE DiFFERENT or be dead Book Series

• Posted 11.17.14 at 04:57 am by Roy Osing
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