Customer service has a foundation that needs to be built on strong partnerships.
Motivation for success can/is/should be a key driver for customer service. Success on a personal level is important, but the more important component of success is to transmit motivation to the whole organization so everyone on the team can also be successful in providing great customer service.
The environment we’re in is intensely competitive. We are selling ideas and issues which are practically intrinsic compared to organizations that are selling physical goods. If we don’t get it right, people will quickly move to another idea for another cause.
Basics of fundraising – these have not changed, but we should remind ourselves of what the basics of the fundraising business are in relation to customer service:
• Personal Contacts with Prospects and Donors
• Perfection in Communications
• Accuracy and Timeliness
• High Standards of Ethics
• Accountability
Transcending our competitors will need to revolve around:
• Being a good member of the community.
• Partnering with competitors to make the industry stronger.
• Being relentless about asking why and making continual improvements.
• Continuously seeking partnerships with both similar and complementary skill sets.
• Including Government and other “non donor” funding bodies in our embodiment of what customer service means.
• Service is about fiduciary responsibility so we must provide it while managing our budget constraints and giving our stakeholders the best value for their financial commitment in our programs.
What are some formative strategies on how we can initiate changes in our own customer service models?
• As a manager – be trained by co-workers in some of the customer facing entry level positions in the organizations. As managers we often end up removed from many of the day-to-day activities that can really make a difference. It’s surprising what you might discover both about the organization and about yourself.
• There is both an emotional and a physical commitment to services, and an appreciation of this relationship needs to be gained to truly understand services. For example: What are the constraints presented by a folding machine that may be causing our receipts to have a less than optimal appearance?
• Buy-in is important at all levels of the organization. Service needs to be provided in a seamless manner and at the same time, the organization needs to have an appreciation of the teamwork that makes it happen from start to finish. Silos have no relation to customer service. We need to deliver services in spite of our organizational structure.
• We need to hire people that want to be in our business and want to do the type of work that we need done. It doesn’t make sense to invest heavily in dollars and energy bringing people along who are marginally committed to our cause. People need to be able to succeed personally if the organization is to succeed.
Customer service is not without challenges. Economy, adherence to past branding, changing business models and much more make it more difficult to change course mid-stream, but some of these changes such as Internet enabled business models have helped us with new creative opportunities for service we never had even just a few years ago.
In conclusion, focus on what works and what supports your brand.
People today don’t want a transaction, they want an experience, and your customer service activities need to provide the differential experience that keeps your customers coming back.