Customer satisfaction is subjective on the part of consumers. It is how they feel about you and the product or service you provide.
The difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction is what the customer expected versus what he or she actually experienced. Tracking these two emotions will identify negative patterns that need repair and positive patterns that need repeating.
The complaint log is the perfect tool for documenting customers' dissatisfaction levels. Focusing on customer complaints serves to pinpoint weaknesses within an organization. Equally important is keeping a log of all customer compliments so you can see what you're doing right.
Evidence shows that people work best when they feel good about themselves and what they do. If all you hear all day is what's wrong, and never what's right, it will be considerably harder for you to do a good job. Hearing positive feedback, as provided by a compliment log, offers the following benefits to CSRs:
- Enhanced self-esteem
- Confidence in decision-making ability
- Improved job satisfaction
- Evidence of level of performance
- Self-motivation to serve
The compliment log should be set up to record positive reactions from customers. (A sample compliment log appears at right.) The compliments will show areas in which you're hitting the mark. Additionally, the log presents management with the opportunity to recognize and praise individuals and teams for outstanding customer service.
Benefits to management (in case you need to sell them on the idea) include:
- Promotion of strong team spirit
- Creation of a performance-appraisal tool
- Reinforcement of positive behavior
If posted every week and recognized in staff meetings, the compliment log can become a job perk, in addition to being an effective satisfaction measurement device.
Get the Main Ideas
- Track satisfaction and dissatisfaction to identify habits that need repeating or repairing
- Use a complaint log to document customer dissatisfaction
- Create a compliment log to discover what is being done well
- Use the compliment log as a vehicle for positive feedback, as well as a satisfaction measurement device