Today, it is increasingly difficult for companies to stand out from their rivals. Furthermore, customers are over-informed and are approached too often, so how can they tell the difference? How do you retain them? It is crucial to focus on the customer experience – which flows from the service culture. Among the factors that are sure to have an impression on your customer are a pathway that runs smoothly or the communication of a strong emotion! A strong service culture is a competitive advantage.

Service culture refers to the way a company regards its customers, interacts with them and serves them. It is closely linked to the company’s objectives and creates references, shared values and attitudes, and a common sense of responsibility. Each company and each country has a different approach to the service culture – this is reflected in the standards and processes with which the employees must comply.

What are the fundamentals of the service culture?

• Your Customer Culture is assessed by your customer… not you!

It is your customer who will tell you if you are customer-focused or not, because they will judge you according to their expectations of you and their past experience with other companies.

• Play an active role in this service culture

Get involved in bringing this service culture to life. Share your feedback and your suggestions, grow in empathy and put yourself in the customers’ shoes to identify their needs, their constraints and their pain points. Act like a mystery shopper if you can. The ability to listen properly is crucial.

• Have a respectful attitude

Having respect and consideration for a customer means trying to communicate as clearly as possible with them, being patient and listening. Be friendly at all times and stick to what you have agreed to together. Studies have shown that 86% of shoppers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, suggesting it pays to be friendly.

• Put yourself in solution mode

A customer gives you feedback or has a complaint to make? Don’t ignore it, listen to it. Treat the complaint quickly and seriously. A client makes a request that takes you out of your comfort zone? Rather than seeing this as a problem, see it as a challenge. By taking on the challenge, you will experience great satisfaction, perhaps leading to an improvement in the process or the quality of your product or service, and the customer will be satisfied.

• Be real and authentic

Transparent communications will always be the key to healthy relationships, and that’s what you should aim for with customers. Respect your word, the deadlines and the budget as much as possible – no false promises. If a problem is serious, do not try to hide it at all costs. Be honest as much as possible and put forward fair and equitable solutions for everyone.