Service Encounters of the Third Kind

What makes a company successful over the long, long term? What characterizes the service relationship between companies and customers to make the company together for decades, even generations?

How can your company being close to your customers even when the times are changing, changing technologies and ever-rising expectations?

What you can do to provide your company's future are certainly relevant and valuable in the marketplace?

A strong step forward to explore your customers'future needs and interests through the cultivation of Service Encounters of the Third Kind. "In these unique encounters, which is valuable and loyal relationships for the future through your words and deeds built - today.

Let's begin with an accurate service at meetings of the First and Second species.

Service Encounters of the First Kind

In Service Encounters of the first kind, your company approaches the customer with the most basic of all customer service questions: mean, "What do youwant (or need)?

Your answers to the customer with the same simplicity, "I want your product X by Y date and time, your stated price Z. '

Your business priorities and service-focus should now be clear: Get the customer's order right, and get it right the first time!

Campaigns to reach this goal are widespread and easily recognized. 'Do It Right! "," Zero defects "and" Six Sigma Quality "are examples of slogans companies use to focus their employees onThe basics right the first time, every time.

With this type of encounter, breakdown in service delivery are bad news. They are identified, analyzed, and resolved mainly eliminated. The service must be streamlined and standardized in every possible way.

Companies that consistently successful in this business (the provision of X of Y on Z-prize) to earn their reputation in the market as stable and reliable supplier. This leads, as it should be, according to the customerSatisfaction.

Training in these organizations is focused on product knowledge, technical skills, thoroughness, accuracy and adherence to best practices.

Marketing consists of strong efforts to proven products into the market to push. The customer is sold '.

A look into the management thinking of this first kind of organizations, we usually find a lot of interest in cutting costs, increasing volume and decreasing cycle time.

This speed is important: The contestantsoften are closing in with similar products, faster delivery and lower prices. With this type of competition, profit margins are thin and businesses thrive only by a continuous increase in the volume.

So far so good. But if we are in the mindset of employees, such an organization, we find a different way of thinking. Frontline service employees, focused on it, it right the first time, training, carefully follow all the procedures, and emboldened byManaging more and achieve more results in less time available to answer the telephone, mail or opening the next session of the customer in person is thinking: "I hope that this customer is not a pain in the neck!"

After all the customers questions and unusual requests normally take longer, which leads to more errors and can lead to a general slowing of the entire system.

No wonder that so many of our customers' needs are met in accordance with something extraordinarythe retort: "We do not do this" or "That's not our procedure, as the work here."

Service Encounters of the second kind

In Service Encounters of the second kind, your company approaches the customer with a question which offers more than standard X Product Y, and Z is the time price. Instead of the basic "What do you want?", Your service representatives now provide an inviting question, "How do you want it?"

Given such an open question Customers 'responses, of course,' I do what I want to. I want it special. I want it my way! "

Your company's service orientation needs to change if you deliver what your customers exactly what your customer wants it to be. To understand special products, unique combinations, odd-hour deliveries, different schedules for pricing or payment - all are new challenges for your service team and fulfill.

In Service Encounters of the second type of disturbance in the service> Delivery system are to be expected at first - and then to overcome. Responsiveness and flexibility are your priority targets. The organization focuses on a flexible, responsive and open to changing requirements.

Your service system improves, adjust not by vigorous efforts to standardize but by the willingness and commitment!

Companies that succeed in this demanding enterprise (what their customers what they want, when and where they want it, and onlythe way they want it) to earn their reputation in the market so fast, responsive and open to ongoing change.

If a company is recognized for admission and ling to meet unique customer requirements, the result is not only customer satisfaction, but a well-deserved reputation and enjoy valuable to the customer.

In this second kind of response organizations training programs include active listening, creative problem solving and attitude-building activities. Employees learn how to make a find"Yes" for the customer as a roll-out of the norm "No".

Marketing is not a broadside of mass advertising. It is rather a selection of specially adapted programs and gently press on tailor-made products to the most important segments of the market. The customers are not 'up' for sale here, they served.

The staff and management mentality of these organizations, we find a common and sincere commitment to "bend over backwards" for the customer.

For example, an adjustmentCompany announces: "We are on our way to you!" But this catchy phrase shows the remains of a first encounter with nature-society, forced into the second type of service levels. Here is essentially management said: "We still have our way. But do not worry, we will go out of their way just for you."

You can see this contrast in advertising for two fast-food restaurant chains. A & W with large posters that read: "You will love our way!" (That's service encountersthe first kind).

Compare this with the slogan and jingle for Burger King "Have it your way!" (That's service encounters of the second child.)

In order to determine you to feel better and said: "Two Chicken Burger, please. One with extra ketchup and no pickles, and a cooked rare, hold the onions, and two packs of mustard on the side."?

Burger King goes even further with its follow-up campaign: "Sometimes You Just You've Gotta Break the Rules." This isa direct invitation to a very individual service encounters of the second kind: "Have it your way."

Service Encounters of the Third Kind

In Service Encounters of the Third Kind, "welcomes your business from the client in a completely different way from the standard" What do you want? "Or customized" How do you want it? ".

In a service encounter of the third kind, does your company to the customer with interest and patience, and calls for the extremely unlikelyQ: What are you going? "

Most customers, if you think they recognize the opportunity to comment on this very open question, that they are indeed still a little uncertain about the future and responds: "Actually we are not sure yet." And then make use of the sincerity and have shown your interest might add, 'Could you also talk to each other? "

Your question and their response, opens the door to an entirely different and cooperativeConversation: a service encounter of the third kind. "

Your company's focus shifts again as you enter into a new dialogue with customers, trying to understand and value their plans and possibilities for the future. These talks, in an atmosphere of mutual understanding instead, with much more than just a meeting existing customer business requirements. Through the exploration work of scenarios and possibilities, you and your customers to resolve problems that arise mayonly in the future.

Inquire consistently For example, innovative financial service companies in Japan to their customers: "What are you going?" And customers consistently answer: "I want to be a homeowner, and I want to pass the house to my children."

But real estate prices in Japan have risen out of reach of the average customer. What was jointly planned and innovative solution? Mortgage with payment terms over two generations - and customer relationshipsbear that in addition, for a lifetime.

In this third type of customer service companies have prepared to adapt, modify and invent in some cases, completely new, purpose and procedures of their companies. Instead of "standardization" and adjust "existing products and systems of the Third Kind companies have a commitment to 'customer make-ize' to be - what the customer really needs to be to work together in the future.

For example, she thought railroads in Americawere in the train business many years ago and nearly bankrupted the customers ask, "What kind of car do you want to travel where you want to go and at what price you want to stay?" They built cars, dining cars, sleeping cars and much more.

But since they never asked the customer: "What are you going?" If railroads do not foresee the need for air and maritime travel and missed evolved airlines in general. Today,Government financial support necessary to keep alive only by American railroads.

Noticed companies develop and get the respect from customers as a relevant, dynamic and ever-changing organizations. They are committed to and focused on the future - not stuck in the success of the past remained.

Committing to Service Encounters of the Third Kind means that you and your customers enter into an intimate and development are closely linked. Since changes in the business environment demandmore innovation, more flexibility and an even faster response to adapt, you will learn to anticipate and actively support each other.

This club is not on customer satisfaction, or even based on customer enthusiasm. Instead, the innovative and interactive quality of these relations on a level of customer loyalty is formed, which is valuable for both parties, and may be crucial to a dynamic future.

Competitors can steal a satisfied customer by providing a little more satisfactionand may even lure away a satisfied customer by providing a little more joy. But a loyal customer is someone who sees his future emerging markets partly on your commitment. "Win-win agreement" and "Building synergy" Passwords for communication between your company and your customers. Adding long-term value is a goal that you take up the responsibility.

Training programs in the Third Kind companies support the principles of cooperation, collaboration, creativity, invention andDesign. Real customers and suppliers are represented and included in the real-time training programs.

The customer is no longer be sold, also was not easy. He really is for the conscientious by a relationship of confidence and builds momentum over time care.

Your service representative is not 'hard-sell "or" push "their products. Instead, they work closely with customers to ensure that appropriate products manually from your organization. Customers also influence theDevelopment of the future of your business skills, abilities and commitments.

Staff and management share the same attitude towards people of the Third Kind: "We make your concerns our concerns." And be confident in such an atmosphere of growing, making your customers loyal and similar long-term obligations to you back. The customer comes to you count, rely on you and work with you.

In the fast-food industry, for example, McDonalds is now test-marketing an all-soy"Veggie Burger". Thus is a direct response to customers who said: "We are becoming more health conscious and we want to eat healthier too."

Third-way insurance companies take an increasingly larger slice of the pie of savings and investment accounts. Ask any more agents, the simple question: "Do you want whole life, term or endowment? Instead of offering leading their representatives with entirely new categories of investment and insurance products addressing individual concernsand to respond to the changing needs.

While these are some of the success stories that have other businesses, the importance of the third of its kind unique and missed teeter dangerously close to the brink of obsolescence.

General Motors, for example, a severe erosion of market share and loyalty suffered before they hear what customers have said: "We want more efficient, cost conscious and environmentally friendly." Other companies to meet and take correspondingdeveloping new cars. Customers responded, so that once again profits and gains in market share.

Wide-ranging support for the slide rule were known to calculate the day of my father. Manufacturer diligently asked the engineers, "How do you want it?" and built an impressive range of slide rules in reaction wood, size, plastic, steel, big, bags, flat, round and two-sided.

But they never asked what were the people "are" so it does not always listened to their customers asking for thingscurrent and electronically. The company develops, a wide range of precision slide rules are now gone. Not a slide rule-maker is the manufacturer on the calculator and computers of today.

Wirelessly from carbon paper, photocopying, buggy whips to stick shifts, typewriters, computers, copper wire, fiber, smoke signals, any development raises the question: "What happened to the company?" Did they make the transition? Did they survive? Did they move from 'What do you meanwant? "To" What are you going? "

In an environment of accelerating change is the only assurance we have that the future will be different from today. The opportunities for development and cooperation with your customers are no limits.

What is your company? Will they gradually sees from the business with a standardized service system that effectively answers the questions your customers ask for any more?

Or will you the tone and tenor of yourAsk service encounters from the order taker: "What do you want?" and the order maker's "How do you want it?" the loyal business partner, who asked to be patient and intelligent: "What are you going?"

This change requires a new thinking and new methods for collaboration with customers and suppliers. It's called Service Encounters of the Third Kind. "Experience it.

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