In a letter to the editor in the Sunday edition of the Dallas Morning News was the observation that the down economy seems to have stimulated better customer service. The sales reps seem more sincere when they thank customers and seem extremely happy for the business.
This letter writer expressed the hope that this sort of service will stick around after the economy recovers because “it is nice to be treated like a human being instead of just another credit card to be swiped.”
So there you have it. The person on the street notices when service has improved and, more than that, deeply appreciates it and wants it to continue. This should be a wake up call for those businesses who viewed customers as “credit cards to be swiped.” They will not be allowed to go back to that attitude when things are better because by then excellent customer service will be the expected treatment.
Things to think about:
- Customer service is still the only differentiator between most competitors.
- Customers will get used to being treated well while the economy is down.
- Customers will expect the same wonderful service when the economy revives.
- Anyone who backslides on service in the upturn will lose customers not only to surviving competitors but to new ones that are taking advantage of the better economy to jumpstart a new business.
This letter to the editor shows that all of the customer retention and service advice being handed out…..works.