Customer Service Excellence - Essay Example

SERVICE EXCELLENCE By Service Excellence Introduction Customer service excellence stands at the center of any business that has a chance to interact with the customer directly. Direct customer interaction gives the company or business an opportunity to simply tell the customer “we appreciate your coming and we are here to ensure you have the best of an experience with us”. The marketing gesture creates a chance to impress the customer and make their experience splendid creating a future relation that could help build customer loyalty (Keillor, 2007). In supermarket business, the customer obtains both a product and a service that either impresses them or turns them off in relation to their shopping experience. The customers have expectations that require satisfaction. The satisfaction of the customer expectations creates an opportunity for the customer to fill the need to constantly shop in the same place. The development of customer service excellence started as earlier as 1991 with the development of national standard for excellence in customer service as per the UK especially in the public sector businesses. The development was changed in the later years as per 2008 where this was changed to customer service excellence. The advantage that this gesture created in public sector attracted the private sector more and had it reengineered to develop it further and enhance the experience. Dealing with customer experience has become an obligation that any service industry aims at if it is to satisfy the needs of the customer (Schneider & Bowen, 1995, p.82). Creating customer experience excellence requires that the company inputs more internal marketing strategies compared to the external marketing aspects. Internal marketing strategies ensure that the employees understand clearly the need to provide standard services that follow and aim for satisfaction of customer needs. The logic behind customer satisfaction is that the recipient of the service is the person that makes judgment on the services offered and tells if they prove satisfactory or not (McDaniel & Gitman, 2009, p.291). Many businesses employ customer feedback mechanism to receive the thoughts of the customers on the nature of services provided and seek ways of improving the service as per the customer suggestions. In assessing customer satisfaction for public organizations, there is need to employ direct interactions with customers and obtaining the necessary information that provides the business with the necessary information to complete the customer satisfaction process. The information is used in analyzing the customer’s responses and ensuring that the results of the efforts of the business are paying results. Analyzing customer services and feedback for ways of measuring the efforts and the impact that they have on the customers is vital in sensing the direction that the business is taking in ensuring customer satisfaction and excellence (Bergeron & Blander, 2002, p.112). These provide the assessment criteria for analyzing the efforts the company puts in ensuring the expectations of the customer are met regularly. In creating customer excellence, customers have expectations in every business they approach for services through making good decisions in staffing to improve customer service (Plunkett & Attner, 2007). Any business that aims at satisfying these expectations requires having a good approach to the customer needs. During the recession period, there were a number of changes in the system that addresses customer expectations and the customer needs. Among the many aspects that changed, include cultures in customer excellence with regard to customer services. For the supermarkets, the recession caused changes that have developed to affect some of the supermarket businesses. Among the many strategies that supermarkets try to use, as a way of keeping the customer expectations taken care of is the ability to have many items under one roof. As a big food retailer and supermarket, needs to pay attention to customer services pays (Selleit, 2000). Dealing with many things at the same time gives supermarket and edge in the retail business making them more successful. Customers come expecting to find all their desires under one roof and pay to have the services reached to them at a reasonable cost. In doing this, many of the supermarket businesses in the UK have expanded and added different departments to their business. These include basic commodities, products for healthy living, kid’s products, drinks, and electronics among others. Among the many supermarkets in the UK, Tesco is among the biggest, Asda, Sainsbury’s Waterose and others. These all compete for the same space in supermarket business and all have a good number of customers that they consider worth respecting. During The Recession During the recessionary time, a lot happened in the UK stores business. Many of them had their sales go low and their growth slowed for a period. They had lost business and customers had declined. Profits went low and the stores did not seem to understand the reason for lost business. According to BBC, during the recession times of 2008 the supermarket lost their ground on growth and it is at this time that their customer numbers declined and the profits went downwards (Peston, 2012). The 2008-9 recession periods hit many businesses hard and at this platform, Tesco admitted to having their profits below expectations (Peston, 2012). Among the many reasons fronted by the business included the misjudgment of the desires of its customers to embrace promotional discounts as they did in the other times as a way of encouraging more shopping. From the same move, the sales of the company went down while the sales of the rival companies either went upwards or went downwards. The shares of the company too plummeted during these times. According to a report of comparison released, the sales of the UK giant were worrying. The comparison that normally considers only like-for-like products indicated a 2.3% fall for the UK in general with the other players in the market such as Sainsbury, M&S and Waitrose performing better. At some point, the challenges were attributed to the changes in the leadership of the company where the price changes of the Chief Executive Philip Clarke in relation to the challenges believed inherited from the predecessor. Alternatively, the business had reached a point in its growth where the lifecycle of the business. Understanding the giant that the company was, one finds it difficult to understand the challenges that were facing the industry with difficulties in expansion shuddered by the improved competition, regulations or market share captured. The different follow up studies indicated that the problem was not with the business but the changes in the expectations of the customer and their response to the economic difficulties that they experienced. Many customer expectations changed during these times and these changes were the cause of the difficulties in sales for many supermarkets. Among the many changes that have occurred during the financial difficulties are the following: Evidence of changes in the nature of shopping Before the recession times, customers shopped excessively and conspicuous forms of consumption to perceptive sustainability (Batcheler, 2012). The customers have changed their views on value purchase. They see that value should not cost them the earth but rather buying something that can satisfy their needs has become their decision objective. The customers look for products that can sustain their demands rather than luxury products that cost them more for the same or less experience. Squeezed Family Budgets Among the first things that suffered from major changes during these times are the family budgets. The budgets were reduced largely and the family only purchased what it needs compared to purchasing overly like originally experienced. Many of the family budgets came low with a significant amount families having to choose their priorities and maintaining them. Many families considered the need to reduce their budgets as a way of ensuring that other needs were taken care of when they arose. Planning has gained more importance in family expenditure with many families treating the family as an independent operation that requires control and proper planning aspects. Re-evaluated values Among the many aspects that have changed during these times, include what people considered valuable and luxury. The changes in this has affected the supermarket business as the customers place more value on the goods that they need immediately making it difficult to enforce a sale through to customers. The development of new values in managing life has led to reduced shopping that has seen many of the supermarkets lose their market shares. More probing and customer involvement in shopping The customers of the current generation and after the recession found it difficult to deal with the problem. Customers have become more focused on the product and the information necessary before they consume it. The customers seek information to understand the product thoroughly before purchase. The customers do more probing to understand the products more and ensure that proper decisions are made based on the information provided. Healthy shopping The past era has been filled with people that just consume anything that comes under their noses. The current generation of shoppers seeks products that are ready for consumption and have the right quality of keeping us healthy. The aspect of health is considered. Many customers are watching their diets more than it was in the earlier years before the recession. Customers have changed their habits in shopping directing them more to ensuring that their purchases make sense to their health needs. Close to me Many of the people are continuously considering the goods that are closest to them most and of the time what they find difficult to make or purchase. Many homes are making the small dishes and home baking activities to eliminate the constant shopping of baked products despite the availability of the skills. The aspect has made people save a lot of money on unnecessary items in the home. According to a survey by Sainsbury supermarket, many customers are only making purchases for products that they find it difficult to produce or make at the comfort of their homes. Developing a level of trust and control has become easy to address. According to many economists, the recession was to last for a short while and after the world economy had recovered, there were expectations that the market wanted to fulfill. Among these expectations, were those pertaining to customers and their relationship with the buying habits exhibited by many people? Dealing with this resulted into different results with customers remaining cautious like during the period when the recession had come in. their shopping habits remained carefully controlled and the planning aspect still remained in place making it so difficult for supermarkets to regain their sales and profits. Among the many habits mentioned that remained in customers in the post recessionary period is the habit of budgeting for their shopping. Shopping lists have become a household item with many people considering only shopping items they feel they need rather than any item that crosses their minds. Through that, many supermarkets have tried to contain only what their customer’s need for the market and kept their services advanced so that they keep the customers within their reach. Post Recession Aspects After the recession, comparison of prices set in and the different items on the market have spread t the digital platform. These have influenced the shopping habits to change evident in the US and the European region, many online shopping activities are taking root leaving limited and only few customers for the traditional supermarket system (Balasandurum, 2010, p.77). The lucrative and attractive gestures from online sellers attract customers basing on the principle that they supply the goods to the doorsteps of the customers at a cheaper rate compared to the supermarket experience. These aspects have raised the expectations of the customers and made it difficult for the competition with the traditional retail stores supermarkets inclusive. According to studies by some of the major researchers, indicate that the U.S and Europe consumers have changed their financial matters to thrift. The customers aim more at gaining the superior value over the competition. The thriftiness of the consumer aims at obtaining the quality of product they feel is safer compared to the old consumer that did not see any difference between the products and found it easy to deal with the challenges that arise after purchase since many products especially the new ones (Marketing out of the recession, 2010, p.6). The changes of the post recession era covered the need to reduce spending on extravagant items and making unnecessary expenditures to cover the needs of the customers (Gerzema & Antonio, 2010). The consumption lifestyles of the customers have changed and changed for the more controlled and choosy consumption patterns that limit the expenditures of people. Among the expectations are the changes that have seen the customers become more focused on purchasing only items that they need rather than any item that comes to their attention. Many people are avoiding impulse buying and coming to the supermarkets planned as a way of keeping track of their purchasing habits. Besides the variations, that each country’s shopping habits exhibit, compelling evidence is present in relation to the changes in the shopping habits of customers in many areas of business. The harsh economic times did not just affect the financial markets but affected the way people shop and their decisions towards the shopping habits. The tastes formed during the earlier years of prosperity have changed and have influenced people more than expected. Customers only shop what is necessary. Among other changes that have become permanent, include the behavior of the customers that have changed with the business trends. Luxury shopping has reduced significantly and has seen many people find ways of fitting into a simple life as a way of coping with the economic challenges. The fear of shopping luxury is slowly disappearing and the need to exercise more productive and value for money shopping is done. As per Bain and Co, refer to it as luxury shame. Many of the studies conducted predicated that the market will remain difficult and the effect of the recessionary aspects that have considered many customers to develop permanent habits that could help the company deal with problems earlier at a time. The permanent nature of the market requires that one enforce proper planning; they embrace the needs of their closest most pressing needs. The world finds it difficult to join the business community to the community risks that have had many experiences. Through these simple techniques applied for less than a 10 years period has resulted into a loss in revenues that has affected the business of many aspects. Key Factors to Consider Many factors have influenced the markets today and these include the following. The requirements of the customers remain at large. No matter how hard the customers squeeze their budgets; their needs will always remain pressing. The demanding nature of customers will keep increasing with them expecting more and having more complaints if they do not obtain reasonable services in relation to their needs. The ability to resolve complaints raised and providing constant customer care comes in handy. Service differentiation is not an aspect customers have inclined to more in the current times. The customer looks at the performance of the supermarket they shop in and rate it without seeking more of the differentiation of the many stores in the market. All that matters to the customer is the service they obtain. The accepted standards have changed and pricing is not affecting them much. Better services give value for money and that is which the customers seek more compared to the old system that customers find more than the market provides in goods at extra prices with less value attached to the services. Lastly, the inclusion of a very receptive staff is vital for this kind of business. The in store support has grown Tesco to the current level (Tesco study in supermarket excellence, 2004, p.17). The customers have proved in need of more receptive and welcoming staff that know how to treat a customer right compared to the normal staff that only clean the products and wait for the customers to serve themselves as per the traditional supermarket ideal (Oliver, Livermore & Sudweeks, 2009, p.169). In conclusion, many of the customer expectations have grown to different levels and the need to adjust the supermarket services to match the expectations is necessary to create a n advanced service that makes the customers feel appreciated at all times (Hernon & Altman, 2010). The changes have influenced changes in organizational cultures making organizations more customers oriented and friendlier in prices in order to persuade customers to buy their goods. The recessionary period takes credit for this. The experience changed the perceptions of the customers and made it imperative for them to compare prices of commodities before purchase and follow up after purchase to ensure that their needs are fulfilled and their obtain maximum satisfaction from the products. These have created a challenge for supermarket businesses that have tried to curve their services to eh customer’s end as a way of ensuring that the expectations of customers are met. Reference List Balasundaram, D. 2010. Determinants Of Customer Loyalty In Leading Retail Supermarkets In United Kingdom: An Exploratory Study. Academia.edu. Retrieved October 23, 2014, from http://www.academia.edu/2501535/DETERMINANTS_OF_CUSTOMER_LOYALTY_IN_LEADING_RETAIL_SUPERMARKETS_IN_UNITED_KINGDOM_AN_EXPLORATORY_STUDY Batcheler, J. 2012. The Raise of New Fashioned Values: CSR Fact Sheet New Found Values. Retrieved October 23, 2014, from http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/media/1488636/csr_factsheet_new_fashioned_values.pdf Bergeron, B. 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