Customer service

A DMV clerk helps a customer with paperwork.

Customer service is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. Each industry requires different levels of customer service,[1] but towards the end, the idea of a well-performed service is that of increasing revenues. The perception of success of the customer service interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the customer".[2] Customer service is often practiced in a way that reflects the strategies and values of a firm. Good quality customer service is usually measured through customer retention. Customer service for some firms is part of the firm’s intangible assets and can differentiate it from others in the industry. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.[3]

Customer service does not only focus on the external aspect of the organization, but also the internal relations that facilitate the business activity. For service firms, customer service plays a vital role due to the close interaction with clients, as in the healthcare or legal industries.[2] When close interaction is not required, there are different methods to provide individuals with a sense of attention. For instance, when withdrawing money from an ATM or skipping the line in an amusement park. Customers still receive the service they are looking for in a direct level without face-to-face interaction.

The evolution in the service industry has identified the needs of consumers. Companies usually create policies or standards to guide their personnel to follow their particular service package. A service package is a combination of tangible and intangible characteristics a firm uses to take care of its clients.[4]

  1. ^ Lucas, Robert (2015). Customer Service Skills For Success. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-354546-2.
  2. ^ Buchanan, Leigh (1 March 2011). "A Customer Service Makeover". Inc. magazine. Retrieved 29 Oct 2012.
  3. ^ Teresa Swartz, Dawn Iacobucci. Handbook of Services Marketing and Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
  4. ^ Bordoloi, Sanjeev (2019). Service Management Operations, Strategy, Information Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-1-260-09242-4.