Customer Service that Breeds Customer Trust

At a recent Pet Industry conference in Denver, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of Pet Industry business owners and managers on the topic of creating, promoting and protecting their brand. While it’s common to think of branding in terms of marketing collateral, successful pet care businesses understand that fancy logos, luxury facilities and expensive marketing campaigns will never trump the enormous impact of strong customer relationships. These business owners also understand that while it’s imperative to provide amazing care for pets, having a truly successful business is based on one simple concept: trust.

In the pet industry, your number one goal is to have pet parents trust you with their pets. Since pet parents are not around to observe exactly how you provide the care, they are left with the words they hear and the impressions that are made each and every time they interact with a member of your staff.

It’s no secret that certain people are not cut out for certain jobs; however there is a gigantic, massive, gargantuan misconception that anyone can handle and perform customer service. This belief couldn’t be further from the truth.

A great customer service employee actually doesn’t need to know a lot about taking care of pets. Yes, they need to love pets and be comfortable around them, and they need to understand how the care is provided, but their primary skill set must be centered on an ability to build relationships between your business and the clients you serve. A great customer service employee will understand that each and every customer interaction has an impact on your business. They’ll enter into conversations doing everything they can to give customers peace of mind. They easily and genuinely smile, they make eye contact, they listen, they are naturally empathetic, they are quick to acknowledge what they hear, and they appropriately comment in a way that makes customers feel special. A great customer service employee may not be able to name every breed in the book, but if their primary job is to build customer trust, then you can teach them anything pet-related that you believe is important to that position.

Every interaction you and your staff have with customers plays out in the customer’s mind as a sample of how you will interact and care for their pet. The list below contains some common customer interactions in your business. Beneath each example, is an idea of how a customer may perceive that interaction, based on how it’s handled.

• When a customer walks in the door, does your front desk staff smile or better yet, stand up to greet them?
  • If you answered yes, the customer’s perception may be: “Wow, these people are so welcoming and nice…I bet they will show my pet lots of love. My pet will be happy and safe. ”
  • If you answered no, the customer’s perception may be: “This doesn’t feel like a warm and friendly place…I wonder if they will be warm and welcoming with my pet. My pet will be sad.”
• Do callers hear a warm greeting over the phone and have the impression that you are thrilled that they called?
  • If you answered yes, the customer’s perception may be: “Wow, these people are so welcoming and nice…they must really love their job, which means that must be a great place! My pet will be happy and safe.”
  • If you answered no, the customer’s perception may be: “They sound like they hate their job so that must not be a very happy place. My pet will be sad.”
• Are your customers made to endure long hold times?
  • If you answered no, the customer’s perception may be: “These people have their act together! My pet will happy and safe.”
  • If you answered yes, the customer’s perception may be: “Is that place short-staffed or disorganized? Will they have time to get to know my pet? My pet will be sad.”
• Can your customers count on your staff to have eye contact with them and to use their name in conversation?
  • If you answered yes, the customer’s perception may be: “These people make me feel special so I’m sure they’ll make my pet feel special! My pet will be happy and safe.”
  • If you answered no, the customer’s perception may be: “That person would never look me in the eye and I don’t think they even know my name. They either don’t care or they are hiding something. My pet will be sad.”
• Do your staff members understand the importance of speaking professionally and respectfully with customers, which may sound differently from the way they speak to their friends?
  • If you answered yes, the customer’s perception may be: “These people are so professional. The standards set at this facility must be very high. I feel confident leaving my pet here and I will recommend this place to my friends!”
  • If you answered no, the customer’s perception may be: “Leaving my pet in the care of others is an important, emotional decision. The way they speak to me makes it sound like they think this is no big deal. I’m not their friend or buddy; I’m paying them a lot of money to keep my pet safe, happy and healthy. My pet will be sad.”

Customer perception is everything in your business and the good news is that it’s within your control. I hope this brief list of examples has you thinking about customer interactions in your business. Building trust does take some time, but when your clients trust you they will not consider going anywhere else!