What WILL Happen If Client Service Isn't Your Top Priority

Chris Brogan offered a more lengthy post today than the one I referenced yesterday that noted some predictions for the future. It inspired me to write a post I've been thinking about for a long time based on the premise that the communication firms that attain the preeminent position for client service excellence between now and 2020 will carry the day. They will be the ones that thrive in this changing world, leaving the others in their wake.

First, let me share some of Chris's predictions, "I believe we’re going to shift back to thinking customer service and community management are the core and not the fringe. I believe we’re going to move our communications practices back in-house for lots of what is currently pushed out to agencies and organizations. I believe that integrity, reputation, skills, and personality are going to trump some of our previous measures of professional ability. I believe the web and our devices will continue to move into tighter friendships, and that we will continue to train our devices to interpret more of the world around us on our behalf."

Chris offers other predictions as well including a growing trend toward working remotely, which I completely agree with, but I'll save for another time. That said, let's consider his predictions. In short, it's about client service, outsourcing, integrity, and relationships. They are all interrelated.

Jonathan Tisch and others talk about the importance of customization and personalization. Frances X. Frei asks, "Are you trying to be all things to all people or specific things to specific people?" Without personalized, customized client service that's delivered with integrity and fosters trusted relationships, most clients WILL bring their work in-house as Chris suggests. The agencies with whom clients will work in our hyper-competitive, flat world are the ones who are truly committed to client service excellence. Clients (of all sizes) won't settle for less, and they shouldn't have to.

Offer just satisfactory client service and you WILL lose clients. You WILL lose top people, and you WILL lose money. Not even the new business pipeline will save you because there won't be much of one. The best of the best employees won't want to work for you because they'll want to work for the best client service oriented firms that attract only the best clients. And why would clients trust outsourcing anything to firms other than the ones with the best people? If you're not committed to client service excellence now, your revenues are dropping as we speak; you just don't realize it yet.

Be Helpful?

What kind of advice is that?   The other day Chris Brogan posted Be Helpful First.  It will take you about 10 seconds to read, and he couldn't be more correct.  Great client service is all about helping.

I've spent years as a United Way volunteer.  I think the organization does amazing work, and I know it well.  The national United Way produced a video several years ago that cleverly poked fun at itself, while at the same time making a powerful point.  The scene was set in an elementary school classroom where a student brought her Dad (A United Way Exec) to class to talk about what he does for living. As Dad launches into his "United Way speak," the kids quickly look confused and bored.  The daughter immediately senses the problem, stands up, and proclaims, "He helps people!" Fortunately, Dad picked up on the cue and began engaging the class.  The confusion and boredom quickly gave way to comprehension and smiles.

For all the issues I cover about client service here at CSI Season 2, in the end, it's all about being helpful first.   Let's never lose sight of that.  Thanks Chris.  

Client Service Sweet Spot

In the April 2008 issue of Harvard Business Review, there's a terrific article by David J. Collis and Michael G. Rukstad titled: Can You Say What Your Strategy Is?  While I'm sure you can guess what the article is about, I was struck by a chart that wasn't specific to client service but on point with regard to what we experience in the professional services business.

At the intersection of three circles labeled Company's Capabilities, Competitors' Offerings, and Customers' Needs, you'll notice that the sweet spot isn't located at the center of where the circles intersect, but right between customer and company. I've always believed we should pay close attention to our competitors and learn from them, but we shouldn't let preoccupation with our competitors interfere with the fundamental relationship we share with our clients.   This chart is a great reminder of that point - that the sweet spot is not always located in the center.

Pitching And Catching

As you all know, the PR biz has been catching quite a bit of flak lately for the way at least some PR pros are pitching media and bloggers. The point is well taken. PR professionals are not only stewards of their own brands, but of their client reputations as well. They should act accordingly.

That said, note to journalists and bloggers: "Despite our best efforts, you will likely continue to receive pitches that may not be relevant to your particular journalistic sensibilities. It's part of the business and the small price you pay for the many great stories you receive on a silver platter each and every day. Blacklisting and public chastising individuals is equally bad behavior. You're stewards of your own brands also don't forget."

Todd Defren has been weighing in on this issue and has a recent post titled: The PR Professionals Credo: 7 Promises which is worth a read. We can all do better.

Fast Fifty

Well, I've been back blogging since late March, and CSI Season 2 now includes 50 posts.  It's beginning to stand on its own two feet, and I have you to thank for it.  I appreciate the warm welcome upon my return with Season 2 and want to assure you we're just getting started.

That said, I'd appreciate your input regarding future client service topics and any ideas you have for delivering content in a manner that will further fuel our dialogue.   Please send your suggestions to me as a comment or by e-mail if you prefer.  I'll soon be announcing the name of our next special guest and with your help look forward to offering other innovations to presenting client service related content you care about.  

I'll be taking a long weekend starting tomorrow, but on Monday I look forward to returning to CSI Season 2 and helping launch our new team blog at Mullen called relentlessPR.   If you have a minute, please visit and add to your RSS feed so you receive the very first true post from our chief creative officer Edward Boches.   Do you want traditional PR or relentlessPR? See you on Monday!

Alltop Adds CSI/Season 2!

Alltop just added CSI Season 2 to its heralded list of marketing blogs. If you haven't visited Alltop or the Alltop blog, you should. Here's a description of the site in their words:

You can think of an Alltop site as a “digital magazine rack” of the Internet. To be clear, Alltop sites are starting points—they are not destinations per se. The bottom line is that we are trying to enhance your online reading by both displaying stories from the sites that you’re already visiting and helping you discover sites that you didn’t know existed. In other words, our goal is the “cessation of Internet stagnation” by providing “aggregation without aggravation.”

For the list of marketing blogs and recent posts, you can also click on the badge in the sidebar. Yes, I chose one of the more politically correct versions!

Client Service And Crisis Communication

Yesterday, I met with a new business prospect who wants to update the company's crisis communication plan - not in response to a recent crisis that was poorly handled, but an actual proactive initiative aimed at being better prepared before a crisis occurs.

To get ready for the meeting, I reviewed its extensive web site and got a great feel for the priorities and the values that drive this company. My initial impression was reinforced during my meeting with the senior leadership team. The customer service focus is truly impressive and serves as a great reminder about the power of a client service oriented culture and what it can mean both to avoiding and responding to crisis situations.

Consider the number of customer interactions that evolve into crisis nightmares because of an indecision or a bad decision that shortchanged a customer. I would say 99 times out of 100, if a company responded to a customer properly at the time of the incident, then it would never have escalated into a crisis. There would be no need for a customer to run to the news media to gain satisfaction. And today, you don't have to run to the news media, because we can create our own content and cause our own headaches for companies. Not servicing customers/clients properly is riskier than ever.

The fact that the leadership team is proactively seeking help with this assignment is quite telling in and of itself. I told them point blank that if the leaders are as committed to its people and customers as they appear, then they are already a long way down the path of developing a successful plan for protecting victims of crisis and, by doing so, keeping the client service oriented brand promise it espouses.

I'm hope I'm fortunate enough to work with them.