Customer service – The heart of business continuity
Mabati
2022-10-03
The point of contact between customers and customer service professionals is crucial to businesses-yet sometimes overlooked. The experience and support potential and first-time buyers receive is highly likely to dictate their return to purchase other products.
When looking at the bigger picture, satisfied customers are walking sales people who spread the word about exceptional service providers, to anyone who might listen. Mabati Rolling Mills repeatedly aims to be such a service provider. With a track record of more than 60 years in the business, it’s safe to say that both quality services and products keep the customers coming back.
The annual celebration of Customer service Week is a vital way of appreciating customers and outstanding customer service professionals. However, this celebratory practise shouldn’t only be carried out during this designated time. Instead, it should be continuously practised.
A discussion with our Head of Customer Service shed more light on what customer service is, what it means to the organization and how it’s happily incorporated in everyday customer interactions.
How would you define Customer Service?
Customer service is the experience you give a customer as they come into contact with the organization whether through phone, physically, or online. It can either be a painful or delightful experience.
How do you measure good customer service?
We measure customer service through various metrics. At MRM we use metrics such as truck turnaround times, order lead times, customer complaints resolution time, customer satisfaction score, and net promoter score.
What is the significance (importance) of good customer service to both the company and the customer?
Studies have shown that 89% of organizations with significantly above average customer experience perform better financially than their competitors. Good customer service will increase customer retention and recurring revenue driven by repeat business and referrals.
It also creates a positive experience for customers which leads to loyalty and trust. Customers prefer to deal with companies they trust because it reduces the inconvenience of having to shop around every time, they require to purchase a product. A good example is where our customers are purchasing our products through our MRM E-commerce shop (shop.mrm.co.ke) and having the same delivered to their construction site without them visiting our plant.
Customer Service week is upon us. Without our esteemed customers and very able customer service professionals it would be impossible to have soared the heights we have. In humble appreciation, we commit to staying true to our values of a strong customer focus, integrity, and care for both our employees and communities.
By Patience Wekesa, Head of Customer Service, MRM
