Satisfaction isn't enough; you must thrill your customers with each job.
Over the past several years, organizations have stressed their dedication to customer service. They have touted their commitment to satisfy every customer and their goal of 100-percent customer satisfaction. They have advertised their successes at meeting this goal—or at least approaching it. I have read about companies that proudly proclaim a 98 percent satisfaction rating. Others have slogans like "your satisfaction is guaranteed."
Customers today deserve and expect far more than just being satisfied. When was the last time you purchased a product or service and expected less than 100-percent satisfaction? You never do that, of course, and neither do your printing customers.
There may have been a time in the past where mere satisfaction was all that customers expected from their printers, but that time is certainly long past. In this age where competition is so strong and dollars for printing so scarce, where outsourcing and privatization are so prevalent, it is incumbent upon every in-plant to set its sights much higher than just satisfying customers. Our job today is to thrill customers with outstanding service, prices below their expectations, early delivery of products and award-winning quality. These are the standards we are judged on today.
Customer expectations are a function of both reality and fantasy. As customers witness jobs that used to take 10 days being delivered in seven days, they quickly grow to expect seven-day delivery. When your price for a particular piece is 10 percent lower than the customer expected, the customer changes his or her price expectation in the future to 90 percent of what it previously was. If a printed piece wins an award for excellent quality, the customer expects all future jobs to be at least that good. The point is that our target for thrilling our customers is a moving target, constantly getting harder and harder to hit.
Our printing customers are thrilled when they get their jobs early. I suggest establishing some guaranteed delivery times for certain types of printed publications. For example, letterhead and envelopes should be easily produced and delivered in no more than 10 working days. Advertise a 10-day guaranteed delivery or the job is free.
On more complicated jobs, automatically discount your price when you fail to meet a delivery date. Don't wait for the customer to complain. In the area of quality, immediately redo an inferior piece without question. Don't try to make excuses or get the customer to accept a discounted price. Redo poor work and apologize. Make sure your customers know you are proud of your work and insist on high quality.
Your department receives dozens of telephone calls each day. Many of them are from customers who want to know the status of their jobs. Initiate a tracking system using your printing management software, a database program or, if necessary, a manual system so that jobs are located easily within your shop. Then empower your receptionist and office staff to answer customer questions about their job status and other routine questions.
Customers want to speak with someone who can answer their needs. They do not want to be put on hold or have messages taken. Also, make it an absolute rule that calls are answered no later than the third ring.
If your department is on a computer network, utilize e-mail correspondence and encourage your customers to do likewise. "Telephone tag" is an aggravation to everyone. If possible, allow your customers to fax and e-mail job orders to you rather than depend on inter-office mail.
Customers love sales. Offer periodic specials and discounts on specific products. Promote seasonal and holiday specials. Stationery and business cards make good candidates for these type of specials. Offer volume discounts to your customers. Give them an incentive to bring all their work to you. Hold open houses for your customers occasionally, and conduct department tours for other departments and new employees of your company.
Faithfully read your company's in-house newsletters and send congratulatory notes to customers who have received awards and recognition. Provide laminated luggage tags with business card orders. Offer to cut and pad your customers' waste paper for free. Create a free courier and delivery service so customers need not leave their offices or lose parking places.
Close communication between the in-plant staff and their customers is the key to success. We must constantly stay in contact with our customers. We must ask them not what they expect, but rather what would thrill them.
If you do not already have a customer advisory group or user/focus group, I would strongly advise implementing one immediately. Ask eight or 10 of your customers to meet with you and other key in-plant staff on a quarterly basis. Listen to what your customers believe are the standards for quality, timeliness, price and service. You will probably be amazed that their standards are what you considered extraordinary just a few years ago.
Survey your customers and learn their expectations. I recommend using both written and telephone surveys. Include a written survey with every delivered job on a bi-monthly or tri-monthly basis. Select 15 or 20 customers and telephone them each month. You generally will receive more in-depth answers on the telephone than with the written survey.
If you have a thorough customer e-mail list, use it as another means of surveying customers. Whatever method(s) you select, follow up immediately on every complaint or comment. Communicate these survey results with your in-plant staff so that they can see how the department is perceived by its customers.
You are in a position to succeed and have the necessary tools in place. What you need is a higher target. Set your sights on satisfaction and you are doomed to failure. Set your sights on thrilling your customers and your in-plant is positioned for success.
by Joe L. Goss
Joe L. Goss is the director of university printing services at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Contact him at jgoss@ucswp.indiana.edu or (812) 855-6075.