21 Ways to Boost Customer Satisfaction

Our reader panel share their top tips for improving customer satisfaction.

1. Customer Service Ambassadors help drive customer-centricity

We have a Customer Service Ambassador programme, where select persons are assigned to drive customer-centricity across the business.

With thanks to Mark

2. Benchmark against other sector standards

Don’t benchmark against your industry competitors. You want to be better than them.

Instead, benchmark against other sector standards, personal experiences, etc. Look to be the best in your industry.

With thanks to Nicole

3. Value the opinions of your front-line staff

We need to change the way we think about our front-line staff.

Their input is invaluable and, with their constant interactions with customers, they can teach us more than we care to realise.

With thanks to Mark

4. Make it real for your Board of Directors

Make customer satisfaction big and real for your Board of Directors.

With thanks to Steve

5. Develop a ‘Quality of Standards’ document

I’ve just developed a ‘Quality of Standards’ document for our customer service departments.

This document sets out the level of workmanship expected from each department – and the methods they are expected to use to meet these standards on a consistent basis.

The approval of the document is the easy part. Implementation is the real work.

With thanks to Mark

6. Make sure everyone understands your processes

I ensure that training is done properly, so everyone understands our processes.

Team leaders and supervisors are also given the necessary training and tools to properly audit transactions.

There will be a few mishaps, but be willing to take that chance for the improvement of customer service across the board.

With thanks to Mark

7. Get your team leaders on the phones for better all-round understanding

We put the team leaders on the phones so that they can better understand how processes and systems slow things down.

This also helps them to support their team.

With thanks to Kate

8. Supervisors should lead by example

Ensure your team leaders and supervisors manage by example.

This can make a real difference.

With thanks to Nish

9. Focused coaching can drive up your CSAT scores

Focused coaching with individuals can drive up your CSAT scores, as well as motivation and engagement.

With thanks to Alison

10. Treat your agents as adults and they will act like it

Treat employees like adults and there is a surprising result in the number of employees who actually act like adults.

The people who have to be performance managed through abusing their ‘nice to haves’ are often people we find a challenge anyway.

With thanks to Nicole

11. Reward your high performers

Don’t forget the power of a proper Rewards and Recognition Programme that rewards high performers.

With thanks to Mark

12. Link call listening scores with customer feedback

We do call listening which we then tie in with customer feedback.

It gives a very interesting view.

With thanks to Jill

13. Revamp your quality monitoring processes with real-time feedback

Real-time feedback can offer a fresh approach to coaching.

With thanks to Nicole

14. Stop focusing on “it’s the way we’ve always done it”

Journey mapping has proved invaluable. Looking at our business processes through a customer lens is breaking down barriers – not least from within our own company, where colleagues like to work in silos and hold on tight to their processes.

”It’s the way we’ve always done it” has become a thing of the past since we’ve helped colleagues understand the impact on the customer.

With thanks to Nicole

15. Talk to front-line staff about the design of the customer journey

Talk to your front-line staff about the design of the customer journey.

With thanks to Simon

16. Show your agents the customers’ feedback on their calls

Create a call listening library and ask your agents to rate different calls.

Afterwards, display the customer’s actual feedback. It’s a real eye-opener.

With thanks to Amanda

17. Map the customer journey every day

We map our customer journey nearly every day for each agent.

With thanks to Laura

18. Split your training into ‘core skills’ and ‘added-value skills’

We have gone back at look at the training that we offer new team members – and are going to split it into 2 sections.

Section 1 will cover what you need to do the job, while Section 2 will cover growing skills and how the team member can use what they have learnt to offer great service to customers.

With thanks to Kate

19. Coach on every step of the customer journey

We assess the different steps of the customer journey during our call evaluations.

We have 8 separate sections we look for in a call, ranging from meeting the customer’s needs and providing accurate timescales, to establishing how you can help the customer.

With thanks to Laura