Service Wins the Game

Customer service is a phrase thrown around a lot in business, but what is excellent customer service? What does it look or feel like? How do you know if you are providing it?

In today’s cremation and funeral market, customer service is a strong differentiating factor. It is an important action you must take to elevate yourself above your competitors. Dr. Tony Alessandra said it best:

“Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game. Service wins the game.”

Think about how customer service ties into your day-to-day work with families. These interactions could take place with a family that has lost a loved one, someone looking for information, or maybe during a community event that you attend or take part in. Each is an opportunity to show people the superior level of customer service you provide.

The thing about customer service is that it is subjective—everyone has his or her idea of what customer service should be. With that in mind, here are some things to consider for your customer service standards:

On the phone

1. Consistent greetings 
   Making sure that all employees answer the phone the same way with a proper, warm greeting ensures the person on the other end of the line that they have chosen to call the right place. An example of a good greeting would be “Thank you for calling (business), this is (your name), how may I help you?”
   
2. Relevant answers 
   This can sometimes be tricky, as you want to be able to meet your customers’ needs but you need to take the time to truly understand what answers they are seeking. Are they looking to pre-arrange? Has someone passed? Is someone imminently ill? Asking pertinent questions before responding will show the person on the phone that you are interested in them and their situation.
3. Technical Proficiency
   Again, this sounds straightforward. But a good handoff from one employee to another to take time for an exchange of known information can make a big difference to the customer. Transferring the information is just as important as the physical transfer of the call because it ensures a customer doesn’t have to repeat questions and answers multiple times. Also, make sure your staff knows where to transfer each call. There is nothing worse than being transferred several times because the customer wasn’t connected with the proper person from the start.
   

At the location

1. Clear Directions
   Having proper and clear signage is important. Let’s face it, our locations are intimidating to a lot of people. Make sure they know where to go, and they’ll be much more comfortable.
2. Welcoming Greeters
   First impressions are important, and how you greet people entering your location can set the tone for customer service expectations. Is it the expectation to meet people at the door? Do you have a receptionist? If you do, does that receptionist stop what they are doing and walk around the desk to greet the family as they enter?
   
3. Amenities
   Think about all the little things that you can do at your location to make a visitor feel comfortable and at ease. Seemingly small things make big customer service impressions. Do you have a family lounge? Do you provide coffee, soda, or cookies? Are there comfortable waiting areas? Are the restrooms clean and accessible?
4. An outside perspective
   Put yourself in the place of the family sitting across the table. In today’s competitive cremation market, customer service is even more important to driving customer loyalty and building brand equity. One thing to consider as a best practice is to start arrangements by setting clear and concise expectations to ease a family’s anxiety in an unfamiliar setting working through a process that they have little or no experience with.
   

In the community

1. What is the expectation for you and your staff to be involved in the community?
   Getting involved in community events and organizations is another form of customer service. This is also a great way for people within your community to ask questions about your services in a casual setting.
2. What are some events that you can host to build appreciation and goodwill in your community?
   Holiday services, community fun days, and blood drives are just a few examples of events that you can host. If done well, your community will view these as exceptional customer service associations with your brand.
   

No matter what type of plan you put together you should always measure against the expectations that you have set. Find a way to survey your families so you can assess whether you’re delivering on your expectations, and as a way to self-correct and improve.

As you develop your plan, think about some of these keys to exceptional customer service:

1. Listen. Active listening is a key to understanding and the foundation for great service. Listen and ask questions for understanding, letting the person know that you are truly invested in what they are asking or saying.
2. Know your products/services. Make sure you and your staff are subject matter experts on what you provide. Take time to train your staff on the value of what you do and what you offer them. Transversely, if you don’t know the answer to something, let the person know that you don’t have that answer but would be happy to find it out. This can be much more powerful and give you more credibility than stating something incorrectly or making up an answer.
   
3. Be friendly/approachable. A smile and positive body language can go a long way in perception.
4. Be responsive. Make sure that you are following through and following up with people quickly. Communication is key, internally with your staff and externally with your customers.
5. Manage expectations. Set a standard and hold yourself and staff accountable to it. By the same token, make sure your customer understands what you are doing and when you will do it, which will eliminate incorrect assumptions on both sides.

These guidelines are crucial to delivering excellent customer service in our increasingly competitive industry. As you build your plan for success, remember the words of Jerry Fritz:
“You’ll never have a product or price advantage again. They can be easily duplicated, but a strong customer service culture can’t be copied.”

You don’t have to work on improving your phone customer service alone. Consider CANA’s Your Best First Impression: Phone Shoppers online course. Available online, on-demand, at your pace, on your schedule, and (in some states) for CEUs, this course improves your strategy for talking to prospective families on the phone. Learn more: cremationassociation.org/eduonline#phoneshopper

Want to make your best first, second, third and fourth impression? Become a CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist and develop soft skills that bring excellent customer service to every arrangement conversation. You’ll take courses that remind you why we have two ears but just one mouth, how you can meet a family in the middle to present their loved one without preservation, what to consider in developing your own ethical framework and much more. You’ll find new confidence in your ability to answer the next call with a high level of service, no matter who’s on the other end. Learn more at cremationassociation.org/ccs – hurry back! Registration opens April 1.

This post excerpted from “Excellent Customer Service in Any Arrangement Conversation” first published in The Cremationist volume 54, issue 4. Members can read the full article by logging in to the CANA website. Not a member yet? See the full benefits of membership and join today!

Winter Park, Florida-based Foundation Partners Group is one of the industry's most innovative providers of funeral services and the second-largest funeral home group in the country based on the number of families served. Foundation Partners owns and operates a network of over 250 funeral homes, cremation centers and cemeteries across 21 states. Our deep understanding of technology and customer experience-centered approach allows us to deliver truly innovative and compassionate care to the families we serve. Visit www.foundationpartners.com to learn more.