(EXCERPT)
Complaining about bad service has become a national pastime, but has the
complaining diminished our crisis? Not in the least. If we want our service
landscape to change, we must band together to proactively transform the people,
places, and processes that are driving us to distraction. If you or your
organization do not consistently satisfy and surpass customer expectations, your
clients will take their buying power elsewhere. It’s that simple. But by
establishing service excellence as your top strategic and cultural priority, you
will foster the strong relationships needed to win – and retain – loyal clients.
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In HOW YOU DO…WHAT YOU DO: Create Service Excellence That Wins Clients for
Life (McGraw-Hill; June 2008; Hardcover: $27.95) Bob Livingston calls for a
Service Revolution and arms business leaders, client service executives, and
sales managers with specific strategies for creating the most service-centered
and client-focused sales organization in any field of business. Included are
profiles and case studies of noted service companies, including Accenture,
Federal Express, Four Seasons, Henry and Horne, ECRM, The Nielsen Company, and
TBWA/Worldwide, and many more.
Livingston (who helped transform the culture of the 17,000-employee CROSSMARK
Company) provides practical tools for transforming the approach to serving
clients by strengthening “how you do what you do.” Readers can differentiate
themselves from the competition by adopting his simple yet proven roadmap. His
five steps to Service Excellence can be followed by an individual, team, or
organization:
§ Develop Your Purpose
Purpose defines you. It is why you do what you do, and drives how you do what
you do. Purposeful people and organizations establish expectations internally
and externally so that their constituents clearly understand the look and feel
of the desired end result.
§ Establish Your Values
Purpose and Values go hand-in-hand. Your Purpose defines who you want to be;
your values will guide you toward becoming that which you desire. Attitudes,
Behaviors, and Motives all impact Values.
§ Understand Client Needs
It is important to discern hard needs from soft needs. A hard need is
satisfied by what you do, be it a product or service offering. A soft need is
satisfied by how you do what you do – that is, the intangible and emotional
connection to what you do. A solid grasp of this and the acknowledgement of
their basic differences will be the catalyst for transformation.
§ Satisfy Those Needs
Where Purpose and Values intersect with Needs. This step brings to life the
concept of how you do what you do – putting people first; creating memorable
experiences for your clients; bringing them fresh and innovative concepts;
customizing behaviors to situations; and the vital role listening and
communicating play in satisfying client needs.
§ Create Service Action Plans
Written action plans that guide your behaviors and define the framework for
how to operate successfully in your service relationships. Create one for
everyone you serve – clients, customers, and colleagues. Action plans must be
continuously updated and monitored based on your knowledge of changing client
and marketplace needs, and their impact on service requirements.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob Livingston formerly head of sales at Unilever’s The Lipton
Company, is the founder and CEO of REL Communications, a consulting firm that
moderates the Client Service Advisory boards. He also leads service-based
cultural transformations within the companies with which he consults.
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