Customer service must be part of overall planning

A customer service plan is an important element of your organization’s overall planning and success.

Most organizations develop a marketing plan; in some situations, multiple marketing plans may be appropriate. The tried and true elements of product, placement, promotion and price are the foundations of a solid marketing plan or marketing mix. However, the experiences of your customers are noticeably missing as key elements of the typical marketing plan.

The rule of thumb is that it costs three to four times as much to gain a new customer as it does to maintain an existing customer. However, the underlying assumption is that the existing customer is pleased not only with the product, but your customer service, as well.

I would offer that the price of a product or service is also heavily impacted by the associated customer service that accompanies the purchase. For example, in the event of a new television, the initial customer service for the product might be the ease of operation and the instructions. I have a mental clock that starts when I open the box. If I beat the setup and installation buzzer in my mind and the television is visually appealing, I have received good customer service and the cost is no longer an issue.

Additionally, as time goes on, when and if I refer back to the installation manual or for some reason I need to call customer technical service, the positive customer service involvement should continue. If it does, more than the price, promotion or placement, the customer service will cause me evaluate that brand first for the next television purchase.

I choose to look at the customer service’s impact of a television. Many of us will be watching the Super Bowl today. Some will be watching the big game on televisions that are just short of unbelievable in size, technology and picture quality.

My point is that if customer service matters with a television purchase, how significant is customer service in other purchase decisions?

Functional products and services that deliver on their promises are critical to the success of any organization. Making your customers aware of your products is always important, especially in this product dense world. With the advent of Internet shopping and timely deliveries for many products, place does not carry the same significance as it once did. Price continues to be a decision factor; however, the pricing spectrum for most product categories continues to expand.

So, as you enjoy the game, consider how your organization’s customer service impacts your customers’ second and third purchases of your product and how improving your customer service plan can make that second purchase easier for your customers and more cost effective for you.