Customer service is a significant part of any business today. All industries, no matter what product or services they provide, are held to an increasing level of customer service around every transaction. The quality of the service determines the longevity of the customer relationship.
Airlines sell seats and banks sell accounts, loans, and other services that satisfy our financial needs. The quality and value of the product or service fulfills the immediate need of the customer. However, what leaves a lasting effect and influences future purchases is the service the customer receives during the period of interaction with the seller.
Customer Service is Every Experience Every Time
The service provided to an airline customer across ticketing, while on board, at baggage claim, and problem resolution contributes to a high recall value of the airline in the customer’s mind. Similarly, the customer service—automated or personal—provided by the bank at every point and channel of interaction ensures the customer turns to the bank for all future financial services needs. Through better customer service, airlines and banks can grow their customer relationship. Nowhere else is this more important than in the hospitality and entertainment industry, where customer service has a large role in making the customer visit again and again. Hotels, resorts, vacation spots, and entertainment destinations are not just selling rooms, but packages that include concierge, spa, and other services in the hotel.
Create and Market Great Customer Service
The hospitality industry not only has to ensure good customer service as a critical piece to guest satisfaction, but create and market a reputation of outstanding customer service. Establishments in this industry are leveraging technology to understand the needs of each customer better and create personalized services to satisfy those needs. A customer’s preferences—including everything from the room, restaurant, swimming pool—must be processed and result in a customized service for each guest. The customer experience has to be consistent throughout the customer’s stay and interaction with the hotel. When customers have positive experiences, organizations will be able to see a direct correlation to future purchasing behavior.
Once a business has achieved a superior level of customer service, how do they market it to new customers? It is easy to market rooms and restaurants using images, standards, and menu. But how do you market evidence of customer service? Social media enables a business to engage with a satisfied customer based on their post-purchase behavior, and in a very public space. According to a study from Booz & Company, 75% of marketers using social media identify customer service as the primary use of their social media platform. The future for great customer service is endless.
Learn more about using technology to create a better customer service by exploring our Integration Maturity Model.
