Recently, I wrote on the COE Core Values. I'd like to begin a series where we discuss these terms in depth. COE is proud to focus on Customer Service with both our customers and our employees. In today’s connected and social world, customers have a voice like never before. They can share their experiences almost instantly with people all over the world. It's important to strive for a positive experience. It’s no secret that in this modern age of review sites and social media, companies must work harder than ever to maintain customer loyalty. If your company provides services or products directly, or even indirectly, to customers, you know how important your customers are to your company’s success. We've heard the phrase "the customer is always right" before. In this case, the phrase applies to making sure the customer is satisfied with their experience. Every company needs happy customers with repeated business. Understanding how important your customers are is crucial for the success of your business.

Define your company’s Core Values.

Every company has a foundation set with Core Values, whether they know it or not. Core Values are a very important part of your business, and they should be something you are proud to share with customers, employees, and anyone who wants to know more about your business. Your Core Values should be front and center in your business. You should have them displayed on walls, websites, shirts, receipts and other places as appropriate. Displaying your Core Values at every opportunity is critically important to living out your company's Core Values. Core Values can include terms like integrity, honesty, compassion, and many others. You want your Core Values to be something that your employees can use in their day-to-day work and life. You want them to be guiding principles. As your business grows and changes, you want your Core Values to stay the same. Displaying them in your offices and other visible locations reminds your team to live out these values every day - your Core Values should be driving who you hire, why you fire and promote team members. Without that, they are just empty words. At COE, Customer Service is one of our Core Values and something we take great pride in focusing on.

"Customer Service as a Core Value at COE has a huge impact on our relationship with our customers and their desire to buy from us versus a competitor. Every team member understands that exceeding customer expectations is what creates loyalty and ultimately generates sales. I witness COE employees going above and beyond on a daily basis to keep our customers happy. We receive regular feedback that our customer service is unparalleled in the industry, which keeps our employees engaged and feeling a sense of accomplishment that they made a difference for someone."

- Jennifer Jubin, VP of Customer Experience, COE Distributing

What is a positive Customer Service culture?

If you want your customers to leave happy with their experience, you have to have a positive Customer Service culture. A positive Customer Service culture is something that all businesses should strive for. Every interaction, whether it is with an employee or with another customer, should be positive. It is important because it makes customers feel welcome and appreciated. It helps customers to trust you. If your customers trust you, they will be more likely to buy from you again. A positive Customer Service culture also makes your employees feel good about their work. People want to work somewhere where they feel appreciated and where they are valued.

Hire the right staff.

You will want to make sure you are hiring the right staff to uphold a positive culture. Customers want to feel as though they are being helped by people who care about their needs and questions. They want to feel as though the people working for your company value their business. A Customer Service oriented company will want to make sure that they are hiring people who are genuinely interested in helping customers. They want to hire people who have a desire to help others and solve problems. Customer Service jobs often require a certain level of empathy. A Customer Service oriented company will also want to make sure it is hiring people who are knowledgeable about its products and services. Your employees should be able to answer basic questions about the products and services you are offering. You want your employees to be people who will help to uphold your positive Customer Service culture.

Create a better workplace for your employees.

A Customer Service oriented company wants to make sure that it is creating a better workplace for its employees. This will help your employees to provide better Customer Service. A Customer Service oriented company wants to make sure that its employees are happy. This can be done by providing good pay, benefits, and work hours. It can also be done by making your company an enjoyable place to work. A Customer Service oriented company wants to make sure that it is treating its employees well. This will help your employees to feel appreciated and empowered. It will also help them to feel better about their work and interactions with customers.

A positive Customer Service culture is crucial for any business that wants to succeed in today’s modern world. Your customers are looking for businesses that care about them and value their business. If you want to be one of these businesses, you need to strive for a positive Customer Service culture.