Customer service more important than ever, says Charter UK CEO
Paul Clark, CEO of Charter UK, says that retaining customers and avoiding regulatory penalties has made customer services more important than ever.He says: "These are challenging times. Economic growth is not predicted, even by the Government's own statisticians, to exceed 2% for around 18 months.
Inflation is outstripping salary growth, and has been running at around 4.5%. And interest rates aren't likely to rise above the current 0.5% this year. Taken together, this means we are seeing a real squeeze, not just on business, but on household incomes.
"People need to spend their money wisely. In good times, they want a good deal, from a trustworthy supplier; in tough times, they really need one.
"That's why now, more than ever, customer service is so important. Woe betide the business that doesn't listen to its customers, respond to their needs, react to their complaints, resolve their issues.
"Retaining their loyalty isn't always easy, especially when markets are so competitive – but it's a lot better, and cheaper, to keep the business you have than to replace it each time from scratch.
"Here at Charter UK, we understand this more than most. Our business is all about managing and handling complaints and feedback, right across an enterprise. In fact, it's about more than this: it's about using this feedback better to understand customers. What's more, it's about doing it cost-effectively – because we know times are tough for business, too.
"A good organisation deals promptly and efficiently with today's customer queries; a great organisation uses that information not just to solve today's problems, but to anticipate and forestall tomorrow's.
"Solve customers' problems, and you make them happy. Show them you care, show them much they're valued, and you make them not just loyal, but vocal ambassadors for your brand.
"In challenging times, that's just what you need."
