Interest in Customer Service Week Soars
United Kingdom - Putting customer service first
boosts profits and staff morale - according to organisations
signing up to take part in this year's National Customer Service
Week.
Hundreds of companies and other organisations have already
registered for the week, co-ordinated by the Institute of
Customer Service on October 5 - 11, including businesses that
saw real bursts in sales resulting from last year's activities.
Employers in all sectors - from retail giants, tourism and
travel firms to health providers and local authorities - see the
week as an opportunity to recognise the efforts of their
customer-facing staff and thank them for their achievements.
Inspiration for activities during the week is provided on the
National Customer Service Week website which includes ideas such
as job swaps between management and frontline staff, talent
shows and inviting customers to nominate customer service
champions. The Institute is calling on more organisations to
register for the week by visiting the NCSW website at
www.nationalcustomerserviceweek.com
Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute, says: "Enterprises
that aim for high service standards and recognise the talents
and contributions of all their staff will motivate their people,
improve customer loyalty and boost profits.
"Employers increasingly understand that people with the
appropriate skills and positive attitudes make a difference with
their customers. Their personalities and individual qualities
always shine through whether contact with customers is
face-to-face, remote or online.
"These are tough, challenging times and the loyalty of customers
and their relationships with service suppliers are being
severely tested," Jo adds. "If customers don't get service that
is reliable, adaptable and available when and how they need it,
they can quickly and easily go elsewhere."
Companies that have already signed up to take part include
Virgin Trains, Volkswagen, TalkTalk, Ladbrokes, Mothercare,
Carnival UK, Hallmark Cards and Avon Cosmetics.
One of the week's biggest advocates is the London-based
independent department store group Morley Stores where National
Customer Service
Week has given its business a significant boost in the past two
years.
Group training manager Kim Kimber says sales increased by 12%
during the week last year through focusing store teams on
customer service.
"Each store had a special ambassador who drove events, such as
encouraging customers to write comments about our service," she
says. "We were inundated with very positive comments.
"We believe that by continuing to listen to our customers and
acting on their feedback we will continue to be their first
choice. Through our involvement in NCSW every year we give
customers the chance to celebrate with us and tell us what they
think."
Other participants will include Manchester United Football Club,
Unilever, Metropolitan Police, the Environment Agency, Jobcentre
Plus, Legoland, National Grid and Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Finance firms involved include Alliance & Leicester, Barclays
Bank, Barclaycard, Blackhorse Finance, Bradford & Bingley,
Equifax, Friends Provident, Lloyds Bank, RBS, Scottish Widows,
Swinton Group, Zurich Insurance and Zurich Financial Services.
Institute research shows companies with a reputation for service
excellence and committed frontline staff have a 24% higher net
profit margin than same-sector rivals who do not enjoy similar
standing, and can achieve 71% more profit per employee.
For information and registration go to:
www.nationalcustomerserviceweek.com.
