Defining customer service

- What exactly is customer service? Is there a difference between customer service and customer experience and what makes customer service outstanding? I'll explore the answers to these important questions in this video, so you can define your role as a customer service professional. Here's a definition from customer experience expert, Annette Franz. Customer experience is the sum of all the interactions that a customer has with an organization over the life of the relationship with that company, and especially the feelings, emotions and perceptions the customer has about those interactions. Imagine a customer buying a smartphone. Before buying the phone, a customer might see an ad, do some research online, or go into a store to check out the latest models. Once they buy the phone, they set it up for the first time and then they probably use it every day. All of those interactions are part of the customer experience. Customer service is also part of the overall customer experience. The Oxford English Dictionary defines customer service as the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. In other words, customer service is helping people. For that smartphone customer, think about interactions where they might need some help. It could be a retail associate who gives advice on the phone's latest features, or a support rep assisting with a technical issue. Now, think about situations where you are asked to help a customer. You might serve customers in person. Perhaps you serve customers over the phone, or you might serve customers in writing, via email, text, or social media. No matter where you do it, if you're helping a customer you are providing customer service. Outstanding customer service occurs when you find a way to help your customer have a great experience. This can be subjective and it's your customer who ultimately decides. The challenge is every customer is different. They have different needs, attitudes, and preferences. Here's an example where three customers each ordered an item online, but the color they received was different than they expected. Listen to the different ways each customer describes the issue and see if you can identify what it would take for each person to have a better experience. - I just got my shipment, but I think I received the wrong color. Um, I'm not sure if it was a shipping error, or if I ordered the wrong one. Can you help me do an exchange? - I got my order, but it's the wrong color. I'm supposed to give this as a gift, but I can't show up with this. - You won't believe this. You sent me the wrong color, but I really like it, so I want to keep it. I also want to get the color I originally ordered. Can you help me with that? - Okay, what would it take for each customer to receive great customer service? The first customer wasn't sure how they received the wrong color. Outstanding service might be giving them assurance that they could receive the color they wanted. The second customer was really worried about giving a gift, so outstanding service might be making sure the customer had a great gift in time for their upcoming event. And finally, the third customer was having fun, despite the error. Great service might be reflecting that same fun energy and making it easy for them to get the additional item. Every customer is unique. By understanding their unique needs, you can deliver outstanding service and help them have a great experience.