Deliver Customer Service in a Business Environment Assignment Example(GC01089)
Unit 2: Deliver Customer Service in a Business Environment
Task 1.1: Produce a report on explaining what ‘added value’ means in terms of customer service
The term “added value” means just what it implies: When a customer purchases a product or service from a company, he gets an extra benefit. Added value is not the same as offering a free product or a discount because the customer gets something different than what she’s buying or something that she can’t buy. For example, if a company gives a customer a free belt with the purchase of slacks, that’s a straight freebie. If they offer free alterations, that is added value. If a personal trainer offers customers a free subscription to his newsletter, that’s an added benefit the customer might be unable to get elsewhere and for which the customer pays nothing extra. A common example of added-value selling is a software operating system that includes a free Internet browser, word processing software, and spreadsheet programs.
Offering customers more than just the product or service they buy, such as free support or training lets the company add value to their product or service a customer might not be able to get elsewhere. The concept of added-value selling helps companies that are not able to make a product significantly different from their competitors to distinguish themselves and in some instances, offer more benefits without much production cost.
There are many important aspects of added value. When the value is added to a product is when an extra quality process, such as undergoing ISO certification, is done to determine superior product quality. In cases like these, the products that pass the certification get to put the ISO logo on the packaging to show the customers that the product is true of superior quality. Obviously, customers that are looking for quality over affordability will choose an ISO-certified product over an ordinary one.
Value-added services are a common marketing tool. In this context, value-added refers to all the services a company offers that relate to its primary service. A good example would be the additional service phone providers offer. These value-added services can include the ability to conference call, leave voice mails, play games, and go online, all on your phone.
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Task 1.2: Recognize the opportunities to add value to a customer interaction
Added value opens many doors of opportunities for customer interaction. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Always consider your customers’ perspective: The art of creating added value starts with the ability to see your business through the eyes of your customers. The company needs to consider what is important to their target market and how their product or service will benefit them. Many businesses miss the boat by focusing on features instead of benefits. By shifting their focus to providing content that focuses on their customers’ needs, they can start helping and stop selling. Creating customer personas is helpful to provide insights about their current and future customers, what’s meaningful to the customers, and gives them a roadmap of the kind of content they can create and share to provide added value.
- Consistently work to improve customer satisfaction: Although the debate over whether the customer always right continues, lack of customer satisfaction is a sure-fire way to keep people from coming back. Soliciting honest feedback through surveys on a regular basis allows them to keep their finger on the pulse of your customers’ needs in their journey with their business and is also an opportunity to monitor the brand’s identity in the marketplace. Free survey tools like Survey Monkey, KwikSurveys, and SurveyPlanet offer easy-to-use templates and unlimited responses to ensure they can collect feedback and create an action plan based on the results.
- Implement marketing models into your strategy: A good strategy is needed for implementing marketing models. For small and medium businesses, the Four Cs model, Brand Essence Wheel, and SWOT Analysis tool will help the company develop the brand’s value statement, define its unique selling point, and even forecast customer demands based on market trends.
- Develop a memorable customer experience: Businesses with unforgettable customer experiences are more likely to benefit from word-of-mouth referrals, positive online reviews, and higher retention rates. When getting started, the company will need to consider all touchpoints of their business, from initial lead capture to post-purchase communication, and how to properly maximize the added value for the customer throughout the process. Building a customer experience also allows them to develop relationships with their customers so they can connect on levels that go past simply getting the sale. Most importantly, memorable customer experience models aim to deliver unexpected intangible value that cannot be packaged or sold. This includes personalized service, attention to detail, and showing a sense of urgency to address concerns as they arise…………