10 Powerful Customer Service Questions: An Organizational View

Most companies realize the ultimate value in providing exceptional customer service, yet many fail to recognize the necessary organizational components needed to achieve these results. Following are a list of questions to help assess your organization's current culture.

1. Is the topic of customer service frequently discussed within your organization? Are customers frequently the topic in meetings, recognition programs, newsletters, and "openly" discussed as a way of daily life?

2. Does the environment within your organization convey customer-focused leadership? Do leaders “walk the talk?" Do policies make your organization “easy to do business with?”

3. Are there customer service "standards" that specify performance levels which address what the customer sees, hears and experiences?  

4. How are customer complaints resolved? Are employees adequately empowered to solve customer problems? 

5. Does a customer-focused recognition program exist? Does the program include satisfying "external" and  "internal" customers?

6. Does your organization have an ongoing method for "listening" to front-line employees? Are there open discussions with employees to gather their suggestions, customer comments, and ideas for improvement?

7. What methods are used to gather "feedback" from customers? Is the customer feedback regularly shared with employees or kept hidden in the corporate office? Do you know what customers "value," versus what you think they value?

8. Do supervisors give performance feedback on a daily basis? Is there significant positive feedback, or do you tend to miss the "99 things done right" and catch the "one thing done wrong?"

9. Do employees know how to create a customer-focused experience? Do they know how to take ownership and make customer contacts memorable, positive, and professional?   

10. Does your leadership send a clear message of where we've been and  where we're going? Is there ongoing communication during organizational changes, or are new organizational structures, processes and goals simply directives from management?   

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