KP#18 Customers Services & More

The Golden Rule of Customer Service is "Empathy" - Seeing things from Customer's view point and treating them as they would like to be treated. This is the famous Luke 6:31 Do as you wish others would do to you. There are criticisms against this verse - citing it as too self-centered ( I think empathy is implied in the verse) and propose other versions. Here are the summary:

1. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would others do unto you.
2. The Platinum Rule: Do Unto Others as They Would Have You Do Unto Them.
   (Do they know what is best for themselves?)
3. The Rhodium Rule: Do unto others as Jesus would have us do unto them.
   (Love as Jesus; for their benefits from God's viewpoint. e.g. an alcoholic would like to have more alcohol and that is not good for them).

The Extra-Mile Service
How is a person delighted and thrilled by your service ? By going beyond his expectation. This is the teaching of Mat 5:38-48. When customers complained, don't fight back. Listen to his grievances and see things from his view poins. Could you do more to help solve his problems. Go the extra mile and seize back the initiative. If you think this is the best, let me share with you that you are only reacting to his demand.

The Higher Level Pro-active Service
A higher level of service is able to foresee his needs and when he realize his needs and it was already taken off, he will be trule impressed --- "they think of everything for me!" Mat 6:8 Be not therefore like them: for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him.

Caveat
If you are not making money to serve the extra-mile customers, then drop them ... you are not designed to serve them. This could be due to inappropriate Business Model (pricing, service model ). e.g. Budget Airlines does not compete with SIA on service. Othere reasons are: processes wrong, jobs spec wrong, staff's competence wrong and staff's motivation wrong.

Go For Non-Customers
We tend to fall into myopic's trap - only seeing our present customers and trying to keep them happy and emotionally engaged with us. Another part of our business should be reaching out to people that are not our customers yet. How can we reachout to this larger pool of non-customers ? The Parable of the Wedding Feast Mat 22:1-14, Luke 14:16-24, tell us to look for those with needs that we can fulfill and at a profit. If you think it can't be done, look at Google's model, micro-loans, village phone services. Ask God for wisdom where you can have a breakthrough business and not a compromised business.... Charity at a Profit!

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