If you want to differentiate your company in the marketplace, then you need to show you can dramatically deliver service and products faster than your competitors. Amazon does it. Apple does it. Why don’t you?
Recently, an employee was having a problem with an item shipped to her from Amazon. She needed to return the product and get her money back. So she called and talked directly to a person. An emphatic and understanding rep sent her a return packing slip via email so all she had to do was print and tape the label on the box. AND…According to company policy, credit will only be issued once the product is received at Amazon. The customer in this case was issued the credit to her account right away. Speed Trap avoided and… another ecstatic Amazon customer.
Customers value speed … Amazon! “…if you wanna do more of something, make the friction less. If you wanna do less of something, make the friction more.” —Jeff Bezos
Speed involves using tools and techniques to dramatically reduce the time needed to complete a task while still placing a high importance on the level of quality. Remember, customers will reciprocate your helpful actions. When you resolve situations quickly and effectively, and then respond to their need, most customers will pay you back with continued or increased loyalty, goodwill and even repurchasing. There’s nobody more valuable than the customer.
Just ask Apple. They are known worldwide for service and speed. They take care of questions, problems and concerns faster than competitors. Apple has elevated customer service into a science. There’s no out-sourcing as they specialize in fixing Apple products and making a stressful situation more manageable. They make it easy and fast.
Apple’s secret weapon is incredible customer service.
The most recent earnings report listed Apple as the most valuable company on the planet at a mind blowing $775 billion with a staggering $261.5 billion cash balance. Written out, that is “$261,500,000,000.00.”
Here are four challenges that all businesses face;
- Many executives and employees don’t trust the customer. They believe the customer is trying to take advantage of them.
- We don’t trust employees. We pay them as little as we can and have even less confidence in their ability to make decisions. We believe they are going to be taken advantage of.
- With Empowerment you don’t need as many managers and supervisors. They’re not excited about losing their power, nor of losing their jobs.
- Very few employees are on their knees at night praying for Empowerment. It’s just too risky.
Empowerment means every employee has to make fast decisions in favor of the customer. It’s important that we are honest and sincere in our efforts to service our customers. The only way we can do that is by empowering employees to satisfy the customer quickly and to their satisfaction.
Satisfying customers quickly benefits everyone. A company’s success lies in empowered employees. When employees are empowered and given responsibility, they use their talents and skills to maximize the opportunities. The most successful companies in the world show that empowered, responsible employees that know the value of speed, contribute greatly to your bottom line.
I ordered a foot-long sandwich from a take-out restaurant and asked the clerk to cut it into fourths. "I'm sorry, I can't," she said. "I already cut it in half."