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ReadersSpeak

Prioritizing speed in customer service

he following is excerpted from a note from
John Tschohl, president of Service Quality
Institute, which specializes in customer ser-
T vice success:

Never has speed been more important to your
customers—and to people in general—than it is today.
In a nutshell: We want what we want—and we want
it now! We have no patience with processes—both
internal and external—that move slowly. If you want
your business to thrive, it's critical that you focus on
speed. That means making speed a priority in every
aspect of your business and removing obstacles that
make speed impossible.

Step one is to analyze your policies and procedures.
In most companies they are put in place to prevent
customers from taking advantage of the company
and to ensure that employees operate in a controlled
environment. The downside, however, is that, all too
often, those policies and procedures are roadblocks to
speed.

Lack of empowerment is another roadblock that must
be eliminated. Most employees won't make empowered
decisions because they fear being reprimanded or fired
if management disagrees with their actions. Speed
cannot exist without empowerment, which allows for
quick decisions based on knowledge and expertise.

The third roadblock to speed is procrastination. Many
of us tend to wait until the last minute to tackle a project.
Instill in your employees the need to do things quickly.
And, when they do, praise them.

External barriers to speed are also a problem. If you're
doing business with outside vendors who don't exhibit
your commitment to speed, fire them. Seek vendors
who share your mindset and approach to speed to keep
things on schedule.

As an owner, executive, or manager of a company—
make speed a priority in every aspect of your business.
Speed must be encouraged and supported. Do this, and
you will reap great rewards as long as you don't sacrifice
accuracy in the process. Encourage speed, support it,
and praise employees who practice it.

Do you emphasize speed?
Has your organization been able to emphasize speed
without sacrificing customer serivice quality? Share
your experiences via greensheet@greensheet.com.
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