Satisfaction and Loyalty are the two words that draw the fine line between good and great customer service. Good Customer service happens when you are barely putting in any extra effort, just making sure that your customer is staying satisfied. However, going that extra mile to make sure that the customer is happy enough to stay loyal is what we call great customer service. This is the distinction that most service providers fail to understand.
For example, you and your company have worked very hard to ensure a positive picture of your company. You have ensured that the calls are taken in record time while resolving the issue is nothing more than a minute. In terms of service provision, you have worked to arrive at the site well-equipped, that too within the communicated time. You made time to ensure a follow-up courtesy call and everything to satisfy your customer. All of this might convince you that you have offered 'amazing' customer service. However, there are companies like the ones at the other end of the spectrum customer service number, who have surpassed what we thought was superior.
Now come the customers, after you think you have put in all the effort to provide superior customer service, it will not be wrong if they still think otherwise. It is more likely that they believe the services you offered were meant to be provided, and there is nothing extraordinary about it. In fact, those services were not anything more than average customer service than 'great' customer service.
What really is 'great' customer service?
As frustrating as it sounds, the question here is what exactly entails 'great' customer service. The answer to this lies in four words - "Go the extra mile!" The companies who have a rapport of "great" and not just "good" customer service swear by this rule. This usually includes calling the customer with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) when they are approaching for on-site service. Similarly calling the customer and explaining why the glitch might have happened and how they can avoid it from happening again in the future.
Keeping the customer in the loop is of utmost importance. The customer must know when you'll be arriving at the site and if you are getting late then what is the reason for you getting late, explain it to them and inform them when you'll actually get there so they don't have to go through an unwanted surprise.
It is more of a matter of ownership, if the customer is the one who calls you first with the queries of ETA then he will be the one who owns the show and however if you take the lead then you have the power to keep the customer informed and satisfied.
When it comes to determining the difference between "good" and "great" customer service there aren't many distinguishing factors. The companies offering merely "Good" customer services are practically doing the same things as the ones offering "Great" customer service. However, the most distinguishable factor is communication. The ones offering great customer service are better at communicating with their customers. In short, keeping them satisfied and thus increasing the odds of them staying with you for longer.
One piece of advice in the end, for the customer service agents, they are nothing short of heroes who don't wear capes. It isn't an easy job to take multiple rude customers in the day. It won't harm if you take a breather after such a call since multiple such encounters are bound to crack even the patient one of all.