CUSTOMER CONTACT DRIVES ‘LIKELIHOOD TO RECOMMEND’
“During contact with a customer, no matter what the reason, make sure they feel valued,” advises Vice President and Consumer Advocate Delores Killette. She adds that reaching out to customers by creating a dialog helps create a positive contact experience that leads more customers to recommend USPS. “An engaged customer is more than satisfied and is more likely to recommend the Postal Service to others,” she says.
CEM data shows other, more subtle aspects of the contact experience also are important. For example, the perceived efficiency of retail associates has a more direct effect on customers’ likelihood to recommend than the actual length of the time they wait in line.
“The customer who has to wait in line but believes the clerks are working as efficiently as possible is more positive about USPS than a customer waiting a shorter length of time who believes the clerk is inefficient or wasting time,” said Killette.
Demonstrating value to the customer by exceeding expectations and creating opportunities for repeat business is another way to gain customer trust. “Once a bond based on service or a relationship with an employee has been established, a customer may think it’s simply not logical to go anywhere else,” says Killette.
Responsiveness to customer questions, comments and complaints also is important. If a complaint is quickly and efficiently resolved, the likelihood to recommend USPS is greater. “Listen to customer feedback,” says Killette. “Trust the customer to tell you what the problem is, and then take steps to fix it.”
