西方有一句諺語：魔鬼在細節（The Devil is in the details），企管學則稱之為「執行力」，也就是說，再好的規劃或策略，在推行時，若沒有環環相扣的執行細節、沒有監察執行的狀 並檢討可改進的地方，則成功的機會是相當渺茫的。
不少服務零售企業，花了很多資源在「客戶忠誠計劃」（Customer Loyalty Program）上，包括購置先進的系統：會員管理軟件、會員咭打印機、回贈禮品或現金禮券……。不過，效果卻差強人意，申請入會者稀、會員活躍度低、會員重訪率和消費額沒有顯著增加，在這種情況下，「客戶忠誠計劃」被管理層判定為錯誤的投資。
「客戶忠誠計劃」已是全球企管專家公認為二十一世紀最重要的市場行銷策略。故此，它的成或敗，並不是「客戶忠誠計劃」本質上有甚麼問題，而是在執行時不夠力度而已。以下我會跟大家分享一些服務零售企業在推行「客戶忠誠計劃」時最常犯的毛病：
一、招收會員不夠主動
一般來說，服務零售企業會印製精美的會員申請表格單張和宣傳海報，內裡詳盡地闡述會籍的申請辦法和會員福利等內容，並將這些單張和海報放置和張貼於舖面的當眼處。主事人認為，客人見到這些資料，如感興趣，自會主動填寫及遞交表格。這是對客人一個錯誤的期望。客人在店舖的主要活動是消費，故此他們的注意力都會集中在產品和服務上，一般客人在心理上會自動地篩走不相關的資訊。所以，即使將會員單張放置於舖面的當眼處，大部分客人還是會視而不見的。
另外，單張和海報上刊印的文字是解釋性多於推銷性的，換言之，文字是死的，欠缺說服力。好了！情況是，留意到會員資訊的客人已經不多，留意到了又採取行動的客人就更少。事實上，要說服客人加入成為會員，跟推銷貨品或服務的難度不遑多讓，絕少客人會主動地拿起表格然後乖乖地奉上資料。所以，「會籍推廣員」是少不了的。
一些公司要求前線員工兼顧推銷會籍的工作，譬如餐飲業的會要求侍應生在下單時向客人「多說兩句」；美容院要求美容師在服務中途向客人推介。我認為這種「兼顧式」會籍推銷效果不會很好。首先，前線員工在工作火線上已經非常忙碌，很容易就忘記了要向客人「多說兩句」了。再加上，服務人員實在不宜兼營推銷，這會降低他們在客人心目中的信任和專業形象。故此，公司應聘用一些「會籍推廣員」，可以是兼職，也可以外判與專業的市場推廣公司，這種作法會使會員招募得到更佳效果。
二、會員不清楚有何「著數」
會員活躍度低是不少會員制度面對的問題。公司花了很多功夫和資源，也聘用了「會籍推銷員」來招收會員，會員數目不斷增加，但是會員累積積分和換領禮品等活動卻十分稀少，何以如此？原因當然有很多，或許是「著數」不夠吸引。不過，更多時候是，會員根本不知道有甚麼「著數」。不少公司以為，已將積分的玩法和「著數」詳細列明在單張內和網站上，會員對有關的訊息理應十分清楚了。
實情是，大部分會員不會主動查核自己的會籍、積分和「著數」兌換狀態，日常生活已有很多要事記掛，會籍事宜又如何會放於心上？所以，公司必須跟會員建一個有效的「全方位行銷」的溝通平台，包括電郵、手電短訊、視訊重寫咭，讓公司和會員隨時隨地連上，告之最新的優惠資訊。
另外，一般公司會在客人結賬時才問客人是否會員，這個步驟可以提前至接待的時候，若客人並非會員，接待人員可以通知「會籍推廣員」。若客人已是會員，則接待員可為客人查核積分狀態，並告之可兌換之禮品、折扣或是現金券。客人經常獲得實質好處，自然就多來訪多消費了。
三、貴客仍然流失
客戶忠誠計劃的主旨之一正是防止客人流失，但一些推行此計劃的公司卻仍然經歷客人流失之苦，流失的客人甚至是高消費一族的貴客。何解？
因為客人不會因一些「著數」就忠誠於你，產品和服務的質素仍然是最重要的。又或是客人一次不愉快的經驗：買了「次貨」、受到服務人員不禮貌的接待，他們就會一去不返。有一個統計數字值得我們留意，有八成客人遇到不愉快的購物經驗，他們不會投訴，而是選擇不再「幫趁」這家店舖。因此，若果你等待客人投訴才去補救，你將永遠沒有這個機會。
所以，任何成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，都必須配以市場人員的緊貼跟進，定期審閱會員報表，看那些會員突然冷下來，就要主動地連絡，查詢情況並給與優惠，讓客人重返你的懷抱。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年11月號
11/08/2006
11/01/2006
Top 10 Customer Service Mistakes
Good customer service is a valuable asset, especially in today's high-tech-oriented, increasingly impersonal business world. Therefore, if you are aware of common customer service mistakes and go out of your way to avoid them, you may strengthen your position in a competitive market.
1 Untrained staff. It does not matter whether you have two or 200 employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service. Customers or clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not training the staff – which should include everyone – is a major mistake made by too many businesses
2. Trying to win the argument. It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort (and cost) to gain one new customer as it takes to maintain one current customer. Therefore, by winning an argument and losing a steady customer, you are costing your business a valuable customer.
3. Inaccessibility. If you want to see repeat business, you need to be accessible to your customers. If it is difficult to contact the customer service department or speak to a manager, customers may not return. Many businesses, especially on the Internet, try to maintain a distance from their customers. This rarely works. Check out Online Customer Service Basics for tips on providing a positive online customer service experience.
4. Standing by your policy. While the clerk who is scared that he or she may lose their job can say "that's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies to build customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have do to it for everyone," is one of the fastest way to lose customers.
5. Unfulfilled promises. If you promised a customer that something would be ready by Thursday, then it should have been there by Thursday. There are no excuses, and the only words you need to remember are "we're sorry," backed up by an extra effort to make the customer happy.
6. Poor record keeping. If you keep referring to Mrs. Johnson of Jackson Avenue as Mrs. Jackson of Johnson Avenue, you can be sure she will not continue doing business with your company. While any business can make a mistake, constant misspelled names and similar foul-ups do not encourage regular customers to return.
7. The runaround. When someone calls for customer service, they expect a service representative to be the first or second person they speak to, following a receptionist perhaps. People do not like being passed from one person to another repeatedly or sent from one department to another in a retail location. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.
8. Email/online cop outs. Since email is impersonal, many businesses send a form letter or a programmed response that answers 10 common FAQs, none of which may apply to a particular customer. Other businesses simply ignore customer complaints hoping the customer will simply forget about the issue. These are email cop outs, or excuses for not providing adequate customer service. It is very simple for a customer representative to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.
9. Failure to listen. Customer service representatives routinely do not listen closely to customers. Typically they respond with an answer that does not match the problem because they were not paying attention. Customer relation representatives need to be trained, particularly in the art of listening and even taking notes.
10. Forgetting the basics. "Please," "thank you," "we're sorry about the inconvenience," and so on are simple phrases that cost nothing, take little effort, and win big points.
1 Untrained staff. It does not matter whether you have two or 200 employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service. Customers or clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not training the staff – which should include everyone – is a major mistake made by too many businesses
2. Trying to win the argument. It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort (and cost) to gain one new customer as it takes to maintain one current customer. Therefore, by winning an argument and losing a steady customer, you are costing your business a valuable customer.
3. Inaccessibility. If you want to see repeat business, you need to be accessible to your customers. If it is difficult to contact the customer service department or speak to a manager, customers may not return. Many businesses, especially on the Internet, try to maintain a distance from their customers. This rarely works. Check out Online Customer Service Basics for tips on providing a positive online customer service experience.
4. Standing by your policy. While the clerk who is scared that he or she may lose their job can say "that's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies to build customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have do to it for everyone," is one of the fastest way to lose customers.
5. Unfulfilled promises. If you promised a customer that something would be ready by Thursday, then it should have been there by Thursday. There are no excuses, and the only words you need to remember are "we're sorry," backed up by an extra effort to make the customer happy.
6. Poor record keeping. If you keep referring to Mrs. Johnson of Jackson Avenue as Mrs. Jackson of Johnson Avenue, you can be sure she will not continue doing business with your company. While any business can make a mistake, constant misspelled names and similar foul-ups do not encourage regular customers to return.
7. The runaround. When someone calls for customer service, they expect a service representative to be the first or second person they speak to, following a receptionist perhaps. People do not like being passed from one person to another repeatedly or sent from one department to another in a retail location. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.
8. Email/online cop outs. Since email is impersonal, many businesses send a form letter or a programmed response that answers 10 common FAQs, none of which may apply to a particular customer. Other businesses simply ignore customer complaints hoping the customer will simply forget about the issue. These are email cop outs, or excuses for not providing adequate customer service. It is very simple for a customer representative to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.
9. Failure to listen. Customer service representatives routinely do not listen closely to customers. Typically they respond with an answer that does not match the problem because they were not paying attention. Customer relation representatives need to be trained, particularly in the art of listening and even taking notes.
10. Forgetting the basics. "Please," "thank you," "we're sorry about the inconvenience," and so on are simple phrases that cost nothing, take little effort, and win big points.
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