Last week's Monday Morning Memo was directed at business owners who believe that they are successful (or can become successful) by employing only extraordinary people who will provide exceptional customer service.
More specifically, Roy points out the danger in making your customer service the key point in your advertising.
“Most customers assume you’re trying to direct attention away from the fact that your prices are too high. When the occasional customer does believe your claims, you’ve usually raised their expectations so high that you can’t possibly live up to the picture you’ve painted in their mind. Ads that promise exceptional service don’t increase your sales figures but they do increase your complaints.”
What to do? Stay tuned. More on the subject tomorrow.
Customer service may be the only major difference between two competitors, and corporate leadership is the most important factor in determining what the difference is like. Extraordinary employees with poor leadership will never provide successful or cohesive customer service. On the other hand, average employees can be trained and inspired by quality leadership.