Confero Blog

Customer Satisfaction Research vs. Mystery Shopping: A Dialogue Revisited

by Elaine Buxton

In our current economy, customer retention is at the forefront of good business strategy. Well-run companies know that keeping customers coming back, even in this difficult economic climate, will ensure success down the road. With so many businesses focusing on customer service strategy and so many approaches to customer experience measurement out there, I’m often asked which measurement method works best.

Customer satisfaction research methods include web surveys, phone surveys, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) surveys and the like. Mystery shopping involves sending someone to pose as a customer, interact with products and people at the site, and then report on their observations. Shopper observations are directed by the program’s set up and requirements.

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Five (5) Key Considerations for On-The-Spot Rewards Mystery Shopping

by Elaine Buxton

On-the-spot rewards are an effective way to encourage employee participation toward attaining specific behaviors. They are especially effective when put into place for a limited time (to maintain excitement) and are simple to understand. Sometimes, revenue-generating behaviors may not seem natural to your team, but a simple suggestion, backed up by an offer to the customer, can increase revenue dramatically. Under the proviso that “what gets measured, gets done”, on-the-spot rewards go a bit further, moving toward, “what gets mentioned, gets sold”.

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Confero, Inc. Recognized As Top Business By DiversityBusiness.com

by Confero Inc.

CARY, N.C. March 11, 2009. Elaine Buxton, president of Confero, Inc., (www.conferoinc.com), has announced that the firm has been selected as one of the Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses in North Carolina for 2008 by DiversityBusiness.com. DiversityBusiness.com conducted its ninth annual survey of more than 650,000 businesses in the United States for the awards, which are based on annual gross sales. The awards ceremony will take place April 29—May 1 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando, Fla.

“No Problem” is a Customer Service Problem

by Elaine Buxton

A recent experience in Orlando International Airport clearly reminded me why the phrase “no problem” could easily be associated with the phrase “no service.’
I had just placed an order at a quick service restaurant, and was handed my order in a bag, along with a cup to fill at a self-service station. At this point in the transaction, I said, “Thank you.” The efficient employee then said, “No problem.”

No problem. It is not a meaningless phrase. “No problem” implies that you did not cause a problem. As a customer of this quick service restaurant, was I expected to cause a problem? Did the employee think I, in particular, might cause a problem? Is it a good thing that I did not cause one? Or was the employee somehow pleasantly surprised?

I took my drink cup, filled my beverage, and turned to walk toward the departure gate. Just a few steps ahead of me, four military service personnel were engaged in conversation. I watched as a civilian gentlemen walked over to the group, shook hands with each service member and said, “Thank you for your service to our country.” Three of them replied with “You’re welcome.” The fourth, interestingly, responded, “My pleasure, sir. Please enjoy the freedom we defend.” The difference was striking.

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Do Tough Economic Times Result in Customer Service Improvements?

by Elaine Buxton

A business acquaintance recently asked my opinion on the current state of customer service in this tough economy. The reason? She had just returned from some routine business travel and found the customer service, from beginning to end, to be nothing short of effusive. I could not stop her as she sang the praises of the taxi driver, the airline gate agent, the flight attendants, the bell staff, the concierge, the restaurant servers, and on and on. She reported that she felt an obvious, heartfelt appreciation of her patronage from many employees.

What was her explanation of this phenomenon? Perhaps the current economic circumstances have made the service workers increasingly grateful for their continued employment. Surely those who are grateful for their jobs would be grateful for the customers who make their jobs possible. Perhaps this could be the return of unilateral great customer service, where customers feel truly appreciated.

I pondered her observation and tried to find similar situations in my own hometown, to explore her theory in consumer perception on a local level. I found her theory played out well in some businesses, and in others, the opposite effect seemed to be true. Customers were ignored while employees debated who would be given more working hours that week, or discussed the fate of their colleagues who had recently been laid off, speculating about who would “be next,” even guessing how long the establishment would remain open for business. What could account for the differences in scenario?

I suggest: Leadership. Optimistic managers can turn our economic circumstance into opportunity for teaching the true value of customer satisfaction in terms of retention, word of mouth advertising, repeat business, recovery opportunities when something goes wrong, and other possibly positive domino effects. These optimistic employees are really “feeling it”: that appreciation of customers, who are a beginning of all good things that can happen for a business.

The customers themselves are a variable in the economic downturn. Those harder-earned dollars are won and parted with less quickly. This means that an employee’s genuine thank you, a “little-something-extra” attention, or an establishment’s real, heartfelt care for detail really resonates with the customer. Show extra service and appreciation at just the time the customer needs it: what a tremendous opportunity to win customers!

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