3 Ways to Exceed Customer Service Expectations

Giving people what they want drives your bottom line. Statistics consistently show that consumers are more likely to buy, re-purchase or recommend a company to a friend based on the quality of customer service. Until recently, competitive companies knew the equation to meet these expectations and stay one step ahead: listen well enough to understand what customers want and deliver it, but one step better.

Today, customer needs have changed. In a 2023 Salesforce survey of 14,300 consumers and business buyers worldwide, 80% said the shopping experience is now as important as the products or services the company offers. Seventy-three percent expect greater personalization as technology advances. Competitive companies now need to “win hearts and wallets” by proving they can keep customers’ best interests in mind.

This year, instead of New Year’s resolutions, our company reaffirmed the core institutional practices that have made it successful, including efforts to exceed customer expectations. Knowing that these expectations have fundamentally changed and may continue to change, here are our three main customer service strategies:

Related: 5 Reasons Why Setting Customer Expectations Matters

1. What do they want and…

In the past, our approach to exceeding our customers’ service expectations was simple: we focused on product and network training so that we could provide the best offering and execution in the shortest turnaround time. Today, our customers still expect quality, price and turnaround time, but to make this step even better for them, we need to help them overcome new shopping problems and find new ways to make them happy.

Our post-pandemic path of high demand and supply chain challenges has left many industries in a situation of excess inventory. As a fiber optic communications provider, exceeding our customers’ expectations means helping them make better decisions about what they own and, in the face of rising inflation and interest rates, more profitably.

To do this, we remove the word “no” from our vocabulary. Saying “no” to a customer’s request will not exceed their expectations. Instead, we find a way to give them a “Yes, and…” If a customer comes in and asks, “Can you take my stuff back?” for a non-returnable item, I can say, “Yes, I understand your inventory challenge and I can contact some customers who may need your information to resolve this issue.” If they want a particular product to be unavailable from our company, I can say, “Yes, we have an equivalent product and I think it might meet your requirements equally or better.”

Never lie if something isn’t possible. Rather, give people the opportunity to honestly offer “Yes, and…”. The truth opens the door to future collaboration opportunities, but getting caught in a lie can keep someone from coming back for more business. Ensure individual contributors have a clear understanding of possible and alternative options so that they can most effectively apply their “Yes and…” response.

Related: How to keep up with customer expectations

2. Listen

Sometimes, to get to an effective “Yes, and…” we have to listen. Let’s say a customer wants to deliver ten items within eight days and I know we can only return one item per day. In this case, asking for more information can help me respond with an appropriate “Yes, and…” Customers are not always aware of what they really need when it comes to technology components, and listening to how they intend to use the products can empower them to say : “Yes, I can deliver the eight items you need in eight days and still achieve the same solution.”

The best customer service salespeople only talk 30% of the time because they spend the other 70% listening. Listening to customers makes them sticky. When a significant potential customer came to us looking for a new fiber optic rack supplier, we listened and heard them describe their desire to achieve more with fewer resources. So we conducted field tests to make sure our cabinets allowed twice as many connections. We also provided free field training so they could conduct the study and see the results for themselves. This client stayed with us even after overcoming financial difficulties because by listening, we were able to go beyond his needs.

Related: 8 Ways Customer Service Impacts Your Business’ Performance

3. Reset and align

Exceeding customer expectations is an opportunity to reset – to reacquaint yourself with your customers and their needs. Previously, we focused on attracting the early majority of technology product lifecycle users: those who are more experienced and need constant change. Now our biggest customers are the late majority, who are less confident, require more support and are more persuaded by lower prices. Our task is to find the right balance.

So, to replace the requirement for a sales engineer to be present during the first product installation, we invested in building a technology platform. Using the same app that can explain how to assemble a newly purchased grill, customers can now experience our technology in bite-sized pieces on their phones. Exceeding the expectations of the late majority meant providing more accessible support and requiring less effort.

After resetting, we need to break down silos to ensure organizational alignment. Nearly eight in 10 respondents to a 2023 Salesforce survey said they expected consistent service interactions across the company, but more than half felt like they were communicating with siled departments. Under pressure to make a sale, a product manager may offer a price that undermines gross margin, while among leaders we find that greater customer awareness of market prices tends to reduce such expectations. Especially after a customer reset, breaking down silos ensures compliance with best practices when meeting customer needs.

The pandemic has given me some time to work on the business, but now we have to work on it. Our leadership teams are becoming more engaged, and we’re working to ensure that our people can say, “I’ll be in touch with you soon.” Whenever they don’t find the answer to “Yes, and…”, they can ask their manager or leader for more information. Our examples and experiences help team members address customer challenges and discover new ways to exceed expectations.