Building a culture of excellent customer service – A saleswoman’s perspective

I love sales and more so electronic banking sales.
In a fast-changing world, selling e-products is such a great opportunity to be part of the evolution of banking, where digital transformation is the new normal.
In my world I sell by always employing the best customer service principles.
Many relationship managers, salespersons, and business executives consider customer service the key to their business success.
However, many are those who pay lip service to this. To them it is a cliché, another session to listen to some principles from some service professionals, among others.
I want to share a few thoughts on why as a saleswoman, imbibing excellent customer service has shaped my world as a banker and one that leads the sales of products in this digital transformation-led environment.
In a few paragraphs, I will take you through why we need to consider customer experience as a way of life, the key ingredient to empowering our sales efforts.
Why Customer Service Matters in Banking or any Organization
A study by Harvard Business Review (2011) found that 57% of customers base their loyalty on their first interaction with a business.
Let’s bring this home. How many of us return to an ice cream joint, a salon or shop where we were not treated well on our first call? I bet a whopping majority never do.
Customers are obsessed with first impressions, especially now that there are tons of alternatives. Get your first encounter right!
Beyond the first encounter are other reasons that make customer service a big deal.
Leading by excellent customer service keeps the customers.
They will always return to that floor that treated them as kings and queens in their previous encounter. Trust always breeds retention.
And what will you turn these customers into when you do the above?
They become your ambassadors. Most of us are swayed by what people say about a shop, a service, a product because of the delight they got.

My key pillars of excellent customer service
These are sweet ends to a customer-centric journey.
How do we achieve these lofty ends that excellent customer service can bring to our organization? What must salespeople and relationship executives do to win with the customers.
Here is my take:
Professionalism
The journey begins with always getting to know your products and services.
Knowing about your environment and the capabilities of your organization are essential.
Customers engage well when they ‘know you know.’
It is somewhat insulting to them when you keep saying I will be right back at every enquiry they make.
Being professional also means being courteous and efficient. Real professionals win customers.

Responsiveness
When customers need something, they need responses immediately.
Customers come to us for real-time solutions. We win when we are responsive and very quick at it.
Customers have deadlines to meet in their endeavours – they need to close business deals, complete life-threatening transactions, etc. – and when they hit a snag, they expect their sales and relationship people to be there for them.
They feel special when they get this much needed support.
Even if responses cannot be immediate, how it is communicated is crucial for a repeat visit.

Empathy
This is closely linked to being responsive.
When we put ourselves in the shoes of the customer, we can understand their pain better.
We must relate to their concerns to serve them better.
If a customer is in a queue at a busy grocery shop and his or her card fails, you can imagine the embarrassment or pain they go through.
Empathy is key to our success as salespeople.

Consistency
You cannot afford to blow hot sometimes and blow cold another day.
Excellent customer service requires consistency in delivery. You must be a performer all the time.
Customers must get that excellent service anytime they meet you.
You must be missed when you are not around. Being consistent does not happen at will.
It requires working at it, keeping the 3 principles outlined earlier and improving at them always.
You must consistently be professional, responsive and empathetic.
Going the Extra Mile. Being a performer goes beyond your scope of work or that silo you occupy.
Your duty as an excellent customer-oriented salesperson does not end when the sale is closed.
It involves checking on the customer at every time to ensure they are enjoying the product or service.
It involves you knowing the customer very well to sell to them other accompaniments that will make the product or service even more enjoyable – what we term “value-added services” in the digital solutions space.
It requires knowing the significant dates of their lives, their milestones achieved and be the one to remind them.
Going the extra mile is to be a chief consultant on all matters possible to these customers.
That is how you gain their trust.
See you soon at the next excellent customer service awards event with a smile as you pick up a prize.

About the writer
Nana Akua Owusu-Ababio is the Head of E-Banking Sales of the Transactional Banking Department of Prudential Bank Limited (PBL), where she leads the seamless adoption of varied digital banking solutions by the Bank’s existing and prospective customers.
Nana Akua is passionate about e-banking, digital transformation and excellent customer service.