No “news” might be good news, but it’s bad customer service
A former business partner of mine loved to say, “no news is good news.” This phrase is often true. But when used as an excuse for not communicating with customers, it’s just bad business. For those in the customer service business (which we’re all in, by the way), I offer another perspective.
Certainly, your customers want to be informed. I know I do! Poor communication is a sure-fire way to make customers unhappy. In fact, it’s the number one reason given for bad customer service.
In my organization we use two rules to guide customer service + response time:
Rule 1: “Before your head hits the pillow”- Respond to all customers and potential customers with a call or email before you go to bed.
Rule 2: “No news” – If there’s nothing new to report, that’s fine. A quick “no news” update to customers goes a long way.
Communication is the single greatest variable in leadership and customer service. Strong leaders communicate often with purpose and direction. However, ineffective leaders struggle with communication. They likely struggle with other aspects of their business too.
The difference between excellent and poor service is simply communication. Happy customers speak words like “great follow up” and “they truly cared”. On the other hand, unhappy customers give reasons such as “no response” and “no follow up” for their bad experience.
It’s a fact, communication and follow up is a choice. Will you choose to put customers’ comfort first, above your fear or lack of discipline? It’s the difference between doing enough and doing as much as you can. The difference between “I have to” and “I get to.”
Lastly, leaders need to communicate with team members as they want team members to communicate with customers. It’s their job to hold team members, and themselves, accountable for giving excellent service. And never justify poor customer service with an excuse like “No news is good news.”
Great customer service is a choice.
About the Author:
Nathan Jamail an author of 5 best selling business books including his most recent “Serve Up & Coach Down”. A leader with over 25 years of leadership in corporate America as a top Director of Sales and a small business owner of several companies. Nathan is known by his clients, as “The real Deal”. Nathan teach leaders how to be coaches, and organizations how to have a “Serve Up Mindset” to achieve maximum success. He knows these lessons and success changing ideas not because or research or interviewing leaders, rather because his lives the leadership life of his clients everyday as a leader for over 25 years and as Executive Coach to great leaders across the world. As a keynote speaker and author that works with thousands of leaders every year is seen as the leader that challenges leader to become the best version of themselves and settle for nothing less! Check out Nathan Jamail’s books, articles, presentations and blogs at www.nathanjamail.com or follow us on Linked-In, Facebook or twitter.
