It goes without saying that businesses constantly need to find new and better ways to deliver customer service.
Indeed, reports by both BusinessNewsDaily.com and Forbes.com, respectively, point out that good customer service trumps both price and product in the hearts and minds of most customers. Or for the “glass half empty” folks among us: a survey by Oracle’s RightNow and Harris Interactive found that 82 percent of customers will leave a company after experiencing bad customer service. And it that is not daunting enough, a survey by MarketingCharts.com revealed that customers are far more likely to share bad customer service experiences online and offline than good ones.
Add it all up, and it means that it is not enough to promise to deliver “the best” customer service: businesses that want to thrive and, in the long run, survive, have to deliver on this commitment. And that is where an office renovation – perhaps surprisingly to some – enters the picture.
Why surprisingly? Because most people do not think of an office renovation as something that can impact customer service. Rather, they view it as something that can increase productivity, reduce energy costs, add value to a property, and so on. And while all of this is true, it is also the case that an office renovation can substantially improve customer service. Below, we highlight the 3 key reasons why:
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Improved Knowledge Sharing
Whereas businesses tend to view their operations in terms of divisions, departments, teams and workgroups, customers – whether they are businesses or individuals – do not make these distinctions. To them, a business is a single entity.
An office renovation enables much more efficient knowledge sharing between cross-functional employees and teams, who can connect and provide a much higher level of customer service. For example, instead of routing customers from one department to another – which customers typically loathe – teams in an open or collaborative office environment can quickly get together to resolve a situation, address an issue, and provide customers with answers on the first call or email.
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Better Customer Meeting Spaces
An office renovation can transform aging, dreary or uncomfortable customer meeting areas into dynamic and functional spaces – which clearly improves customer service.
Keep in mind that these spaces do not need to mimic Google’s “Nested” approach, complete with beanbag chairs and air hockey tables. If your industry is more on the conservative side – such as insurance, financial services, etc. – you can certainly create customer meeting spaces that are stylish, yet suitable.
And on top of this: creating better customer meeting spaces is surprisingly affordable, as there are many ways to achieve a design vision at a low overall cost. For example, existing spaces can be repurposed without having to “tear down walls”, and there are a multitude of office furniture, lighting and fixture options in various price positions.
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Improved Staff Morale
And last but certainly not least: whether they are speaking or meeting with customers, or working on the back end to help a colleague respond to an inquiry, fill an order, or complete a project, your employees are essentially the first and last line of customer service in your business.
An office renovation is a clear way that you can demonstrate that you care about their happiness, and that want to help them be more productive, efficient and effective. What’s more, your office renovation can literally make your workplace a healthier place to be, such as by adding more natural light, making the HVAC system more efficient, and so on.
All of the above goes a long way towards improving staff morale, which in turn has a positive impact on customer service; both for businesses that need to fortify this area, and for those who already do a good job and want to take their customer service to the next level.
Learn More
To learn more about how an office renovation can improve customer service in your business, contact Key Interiors today. Your consultation with us is free.
