Would you ever expect to go to Disney and see a Disney cast member in full uniform who’s on break, chewing tobacco, or spitting on the ground while guests are walking by?
Never.
And do you know why Disney, Ritz-Carlton, Starbucks, and all of the best customer service companies in the world are so consistent in the experience they deliver?
Because they are brilliant at the basics!
One of the most effective ways to elevate your company’s customer service is by instituting your own customer Bill of Rights.
WHAT IS THE CUSTOMER BILL OF RIGHTS?
The Customer Bill of Rights includes non-negotiable standards, also referred to as the Never and Always statements. This is a list that every person in your organization must clearly know and follow 100% of the time.
If your company does nothing else other than institute the Never and Always list and makes everyone aware of them and if your customers rarely experience a Never and consistently experience an Always then you are in the top 5% of customer service organizations.
GUIDELINES IN CREATING THE NEVER & ALWAYS LIST
- The statements in the list are typically three words or less.
You want it short, simple, concise, easy to get out there to your team members, and easy to understand.
- They should be black and white with no room for personal interpretation.
For instance, when you list “Always respond to emails promptly,” “promptly” may mean two minutes to one person and two days to another person. Make sure they’re clear and concise and don’t need any additional explanation.
- They’re not stage-specific.
Whether it’s regarding onboarding, providing an actual service or product, or closing – regardless of their role and which stage in the customer’s journey they are at – the list should be applicable for anyone in your organization.
- Create a shorter list of around 7 to 10 at the most.
It has to be something digestible that people can remember and something you can test or audit people on.
- The best Never & Always are going to be specific to you, your people, and your industry.
The best ones are going to be ones you create with your team in a workshop-style format.
EXAMPLES OF NEVER & ALWAYS:
- Never point, always show them.
- Never say no, always focus on what you can do.
- Never say, “no problem.” Always say, “certainly, my pleasure, or absolutely”
- Never cold transfer, always do a warm transfer.
- Never overshare, always take care of it.
- Never say, “I don’t know,” always say, “Let me find out.”
- Never accept fine or okay, always have excellence as the standard.
For more information and resources on creating your own Customer Bill of Rights, check out The Customer Service Revolution podcast. If you’d like to listen, head over to Episode 042: Customer Bill of Rights: You Want Customer Loyalty? Be Brilliant at The Basics.
