Step 1 : Identify which of your external customers are the most valuable

Identify which of your external customers are the most profitable. This may help you to put them into groups. This helps you to do two things:

• Prioritise the level of customer service you offer.
• Develop a profile so that you can target more new customers in the profitable groups. The lifetime value of different customer groups will differ, as will the expectations of these groups.

Step 2 : Identify your internal and external customers

Identify all 'internal customers' involved in getting your product or service to the end-customer. Ensure that they all understand the impact they have on others in this 'chain' and are able to put themselves in other employee's shoes.

The person who buys your product or service (the 'external customer') is not the only customer. The service given to other departments within your business will also impact on the level of service given to the external customer, so it is important to identify all 'customers' in the chain.

Step 3 : Find out what level of service customers want

Carry out customer satisfaction surveys with all external customer groups to identify an appropriate service level for each. If you have just a large customer base, use just a sample in each group. Since different service requirements have resources and cost implications, carrying out separate surveys will allow you to focus your attentions where they will be most profitable.

Areas to check include:

• Quality of service.
• Accuracy of service.
• Promptness of response.
• Satisfaction with facilities - e.g. parking, opening
  hours, payment methods available, etc.
• Staff attitude and behaviour.
• Complaint handling.

Carry out staff satisfaction surveys of internal customers to identify issues that are important to your staff. This works on the principle that happy staff make happy customers.

Step 4 : Develop customer service standards and a programme

Develop customer service standards that reflect the findings of the above surveys. Even if you are a very small business, even a few basic standards will contribute to customer service. You could start by asking those employees who deal with customers regularly, such as receptionists, to write down what they do already as a foundation.

Some pointers to help:

• Involve customers and staff in developing the standards.
• State standards clearly and document them.
• Ensure all standards link to company goals.
• Check them back against your survey findings.
• Make all standards achievable and easy to understand.
• Give all standards and the programme the support of all your management team.
• Communicate standards clearly to all involved on an ongoing basis.
• Once the standards are established, develop a culture in which deviation from the standards becomes unacceptable.
• Review standards on a systematic basis to make sure they are still relevant and appropriate.
• Carry out customer satisfaction surveys with all external customer groups to identify an appropriate service level for each. If you have just a large customer base, use just a sample in each group. Since different service requirements have resources and cost implications, carrying out separate.
• Add new standards as necessary with the full approval of all staff involved in delivery.
• Produce service standards that are clear, concise, measurable and achievable.