Customer Service Excellence - Essay Example

? SERVICE EXCELLENCE of of Institute Organizational culture is a notion in the field of organizational studies as well as management which defines the psychology, approaches, experiences, views and values (cultural as well as personal) which are dominant in an organization. It has been described as ‘the precise collection of principles and norms that are mutual amongst people and groups in an association and that regulate the way they network with each other and with stakeholders outside the business’ (Hill & Jones, 2001). More specifically, organizational culture is an established set of mutual mental conventions that guide understanding and action in organizations by outlining appropriate behaviour for various circumstances (Ravasi & Schultz, 2006). From organizational values advance organizational norms, procedures, or expectations that recommend appropriate manners of behaviour by employees in specific situations and govern the behaviour of organizational members towards each other. Strong culture is said to occur where staff respond to stimulus because of their placement with the organizational values. In such surroundings, strong cultures aid firms function like well-oiled machines, voyaging along with outstanding performance and perhaps minor modification of prevailing procedures here and there. Equally, there is weak culture where there is slightarrangement with organizational values and control must be implemented through extensive measures as well as a culture of bureaucracy. Research indicates that organizations that nurture strong cultures have clear ideals and values that give employees a motive to embrace the culture. A ‘strong’ culture may be particularlyadvantageous to firms operating in the service sector because members of these establishments are responsible for carrying out the service and for evaluations significantcomponents make about firms. Research specifies that organizations may develop the following benefits from sustaining strong as well as dynamic cultures: Better supporting the company towards attaining its mission, vision and goals High employee enthusiasm and devotion Elevated team cohesiveness amongst the company’s various units and departments Encouragingreliability and inspiringmanagement and control within the company Influencing employee behaviour at work, empowering the organization to be more resourceful (Hofstede, 1980) Businesses are gradually adopting customer-focused business processes to increase competitive advantage. Especially predominant in industries where product offerings and price do not provide adequate differentiation, this new focus compromises numerous assistances. Customer involvement is the battleground, and a business can't triumph with a culture that doesn't truly clasp the concept. Culture can neither be simply forced on a business nor fashioned by flicking a switch. However, there are a few key steps can assistance put a business on the path towards a customer-focused philosophy. To shape your business around customers, an organization should aim to comprehend them, and create a regular discussion. If a business arms itself with the gears to better comprehend your customers, you will be better able to perform in their best benefits. A business’s employees possess great understanding in their customer base and how todelight them. Tap this knowledge base to better appreciate employee views. It is important not to limit this outreach to customer-facing employees only. A customer-focused culture is not just about giving better customer service at the front desk; it is about permeating all the actions as a business with a sagacity of how the customer is influenced by those actions (or absence of them).Corporate culture is a long-term deliberation, and representing that you're truly investing in change will help to drive additional change and involve your employees in the process (Schein, 1985). Customer feedback is not always applauded by employees, so it is important for them to understand how important it is to be equipped with that knowledge while in the international arena. Very often feedback is understood to be a rewording for "complaints" and generates only fear and detachment. When listening to the customer, it is crucial to embrace and share the positive feedback. While performing on negative feedback may reinforce customer engagement, sharing and performing on positive feedback will reinforce employee engagement. Understanding the culture is crucial for both the organization as well as the customers. Having the knowledge of the culture in a country or area in which you are doing business is a critical expertise for the international business person. Without this understanding, a successful consequence to the business endeavour can be in danger (Handy, 1985). The way the world carries out business has speedily changed over the past several years. International business, trade plus communication have been focused upon for impressive progress, resulting in a world that appears less significant and is much more allied. In agreement with the increased communication between countries worldwide, there has been a noticeable increase in the education of international business cultures, and of cultural cognizance in general. In international business, having an appreciation for cultural mixture is avital asset. Assuming that all business cultures function in the same manner, irrespective of where they are situated geographically and culturally inside the global community, is a substantialfault that could cost any organization valued business. In order to analyze cultural awareness in business appropriately, it is first significant to have a thorough understanding of a given country’s cultural upbringing. This understanding should comprise, but should not be restricted to the following: the country’s past, its political personality and its principal religion(s), the country’s population, heights of literacy, and its principal industries are also important realities to be aware of. Once this general understanding has been attained, specific details on how to contort the businesses’ behaviour in numerous situations may be addressed. Guidelines for suitable conduct during conversations, business meetings and social congregations, as well as rules for appearance are just some of the particulars that must be addressed when reviewing international business culture. Almost all of the above-mentioned elements will differ, dependent on the country in question. Wide-ranging studies and programs have been established to address these and other matters, including the Geert Hofstede Analyses. To illustrate the degree of cultural differences in business doings, a major example could be that of Japan. Satisfactory business attire in Japan is an instance that clearly illustrates the importance of cultural consciousness in business. Due to the great emphasis on the patriarch within Japan’s nation, women must give specific attention to their attire. For example, the wearing of pants could be interpreted as unpleasant to men. Likewise, heel height should be carefully measured, as Japanese businessmen will not like having to look up when conversing with a woman. For women and men equally, consideration should be given to the superiority of attire, as well as its capability to conform to conventional business standards. Individuality is not highly invigorated within Japan’s business culture, but signs of status and affluence are expected. These facts are echoed in the dress code. Individuals and businesses involved in international business transactions would be well advised to carry out an analysis and possess a deep understanding of international business cultures, which should be among their highest priorities. Taking benefit of multiple resources available about the cultures of various countries is a good way of getting started. Moreover, companies may desire to provide training for their employees, to guarantee that a unified attitude is embraced throughout their organizations (Deal & Kennedy, 1982). Getting to know the international business culture may prove to be very significant while undertaking advertising, as was in the case of HSBC. Cross cultural communication solutions are also imperative to operative cross cultural advertising. Services and products are usually aimed and advertised at a domestic audience. When a product is then advertised at an international audience the identical domestic advertising campaign abroad will in most cases be unsuccessful (Johnson, 1988). The core of successful advertising is convincing people that a product is destined for them. By purchasing it, they will obtain some benefit, whether it be lifestyle, prestige, accessibility or monetary. However, when an advertising campaign is taken overseas different standards and observations as to what augments status or gives convenience occur. These alterations make the original advertising campaign obsolete. It is therefore crucial to any cross cultural advertising campaign that there is an acquired understanding of a particular culture.It may seem somewhat understandable to state that language is key to proper cross cultural advertising. However, the fact that companies obstinately fail to check linguistic indications of company or product names and slogans validates that such issues are not being correctly addressed (Burman& Evans, 2008). The advertising world is scattered with examples of linguistic cross cultural mistakes. Of the more amusing was Ford's introduction of the car 'Pinto' in Brazil. After seeing sales miss the mark, they soon understood that this was due to the element that Brazilians did not want to be seen driving a car denoting 'tiny male genitals'. If customer service standards are to be combined into the business with any expectation of buy-in from staff then they must be involved in the process of development. It would be advisable for the businesses to integrate employees in the development process as early as possible (McGuire & Stephen, 2003) The trial for many businesses is the discrepancies of customer service delivery that happen within an organisation. Too often customer service quality can vary between outlets, branches as well as countries, and this can generate real challenges in upholding a reputation for excellence. By rolling out a high-impact customer service training programme, reinforced by explicit Customer Service Standards, and business training through performance evaluation as well as observational activities (for instance,mystery shopping) , staff members get to comprehend the anticipations of customers and senior managers. If employees are uninformed or unsure of what is estimated of them, delivering to unknown expectations can be difficult (Parker, 2000). New determinations for quality, including the overview of new customer service standards, are focus to what is referred to as 'parachute training'. When organisations carry out change in the organization, sometimes employees observe the new project as 'the latest initiative'. The training is carried out by facilitators or consultants who 'parachute in', convey the training and then leave. Most chief edge corporations have found that this is has short-term assistances that lose impetus after a period of compliance. The businesses should aim touphold the momentum with effective performance evaluation programmes (Montana &Charnov, 2008). International customer service excellence begins with an emphasis on people. To distinguish them from the competition, businesses have to break giving lip service to customer excellence. It is a widely known factthat it costs a business five times as much to win a new customer than to retain anexisting one. But, customers are not faithful by nature and research shows that sentiment influences purchase decision six times more than reasoning. Linking to your customers on an emotional level is the fundamental to foundinga lasting relationship with a brand. A business must go beyond simply supplying your product, and improve strong bonds with your customers. It is vital that an organization provide a unique customer experience by proactively foreseeing the customers’ needs and wants and surpassing them, every time. Service excellence is an attitude deep-seated in every department and it originates and ends with the people in the organization, from a financial director to CEO. It necessitates more than a rationalised customer service department or a motto on the lunch room wall. Excellence is a reliable, premium service at every pass set by a service focused tone that drives the company strategy at every point (Fraser et al., 2007). Therefore it can be concluded that knowledge of the various cultures will greatly facilitate all the businesses processes and make them efficient throughout, no matter where the business operates. Only then is total excellence in the customer service arena possible. References Charles W. L. Hill, and Gareth R. Jones, (2001) Strategic Management.Houghton Mifflin. Ravasi, D. and Schultz, M. (2006) ‘Responding to organizational identity threats: Exploring the role of organizational culture’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 433–458. Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work Related Values, Beverly Hills, CA, Sage Publications. Handy, C.B. (1985) Understanding Organizations, 3rd Edn, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books. Fraser, B., Bernstein, D., Schwab, B. (2007). Death to all sacred cows : how successful business people put the old rules out to pasture (1st ed. ed.). New York: Hyperion. pp. 4–11. ISBN 9781401303310. Montana, P., and Charnov, B. (2008) Management (4th ed.), NY: Barrons Educational Series, Hauppauge. Parker, M. (2000) Organizational Culture and Identity, London: Sage. McGuire, Stephen, J.J. (2003). Entrepreneurial Organizational Culture: Construct Definition and Instrument Development and Validation, Ph.D. Dissertation, The George Washington University, Washington, DC. Burman, R. & Evans, A.J. (2008) Target Zero: A Culture of safety, Defence Aviation Safety Centre Journal 2008, 22-27. http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/849892B2-D6D2-4DFD-B5BD-9A4F288A9B18/0/DASCJournal2008.pdf Johnson, G. (1988) "Rethinking Incrementalism", Strategic Management Journal, vol. 9, pp.75-91. Schein, E.H. (1985) Organizational Culture and Leadership, 3rd Ed., Jossey-Bass ISBN 0-7879-7597-4 Deal T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982) Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life, Harmondsworth, Penguin Books. Read More