Good customer relations starts at the bottom

By Gerian Miller, Senior Writer InZalo Communications

Now more than ever companies should be placing greater emphasis on customer care, especially with consumers becoming more discerning as the impact of the global recession hits home and they want value for their money.

Which is why I find it unsettling that companies place people on their switchboard who are not competent in English and unable to field the simplest of requests.

One of the underlying principles of an effective communication programme is to ensure commitment from top-level management to the switchboard operator to enable all employees to "sing from the same song sheet" and maintain a standard of professionalism.

With the switchboard operator being the first point of contact for many consumers, management need to ensure they are highly competent, can quickly assess a query and know who to put a caller through to and above all else - display common sense.

It is vital for employees across all levels of an organisation to not only understand the values of the company but also know what they mean and how to interpret these within the framework of customer relations.

Integrated communication becomes key to ensuring one synergistic message functions to communicate the overall vision of the company, traditionally achieved through combining marketing strategies, PR plans and advertising campaigns. Yet without the support of all staff, inclusive of employees who answer the phone, this communication can fall flat.

With stiff competition in the market place, now more than ever consumers value first hand reports which they will use to assess who to buy from, where to stay or which restaurant to eat at. Just a simple search on Google can reveal a wealth of consumer comments on the level of customer care they received from a particular company.

So remember a communication plan is only as good as the people who plan and implement it. Management need to bear in mind an effective communication plan requires a systematic and sustained programme of action, requiring the input of all levels of staff.

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