Imagine creating a company where every human interaction is a memorable experience. imageOne has been working hard to turn this vision into reality. The culture of service is what makes imageOne unique. The company’s commitment to exceptional customer service has led to millions of dollars in revenue, and earned them a place on Forbes 2017 Small Giants: Top Small Companies in America.
What is the difference between good and extraordinary customer service? Extraordinary is “beyond the usual, ordinary, regular or established.” Joel Pearlman, imageOne Cofounder and CEO, shared in the Small Giants Community fishbowl of September 2017, how imageOne defined and systematized their process for delivering exceptional customer experiences. Here are four quadrants that you need to master if your company wants to do the same.
Enjoy a Customer Experience Like No Other
1. What Extraordinary Customer Experiences Look Like
The first impression is the most important part of a great customer experience. imageOne has created a code to ensure that team members are at their best. Every team member strives to be approachable, clean, and organized when interacting with others. You want to make sure that everyone has a clear, simple and exceptional experience, whether it is a client or prospect.
Consistency is the key. If something isn’t working, you should wait until it does. You want your customers to always see you looking good, whether it’s in the way you present yourself, the clothes you wear, or the business cards you use. Owners should support their employees by backing them up at every step.
2. What Do Extraordinary Customer Experiences Sounds Like?
How does exceptional customer service sound? It’s positive, friendly, real and genuine. Great customer service companies are described as being great listeners. This includes virtual interactions. You should create a voice that reflects genuine care when you interact with customers, whether it’s in person, over the phone or via written communication.
Great customer service is helpful, attentive and happy. Your team should be friendly and present. Give them the tools they need to follow through on what they promise. The most powerful thing you can do is to create a service that lives up to the promises made. How can you ensure that your employees are as happy as their words suggest? You can create a circle of care by creating exceptional experiences for employees.
3. How to Deliver Extraordinary Customer Experiences
How can your team measure the success of customer interactions? developed a formula to measure each interaction’s This equation should be applied to everything that comes into contact with a customer, from a sales call through an invoice.
Think about adding “extra” to every aspect of your service. Invite your team to take part in a “Solve For X” exercise if you want to generate new ideas. Ask your team to come up with ideas to enhance their customer service role. These ideas do not have to be expensive or complicated. They can often be simple and free.
You’ll be surprised at the innovative ideas that your team members will come up with when you empower them. Send the ideas to your team to decide which ones you will add to their customer experience. This will result in a list of opportunities for extraordinary customer experiences that each team member can deliver.
4. How extraordinary customer experiences create loyalty
F = Focus on the goals of our customers
A = Anticipate our customers’ needs.
B = Build genuine relationships
By adhering these three principles, you will help your company learn how to speak in the language of customers and what is important to them. You will also become better at anticipating and meeting the needs of your customers, and sharing ideas that can help them grow their business. You’ll also learn how to create relationships that last, resulting in loyalty and genuine concern that will not only result in financial rewards, but also an exceptional experience for all involved.
Joel Pearlman founded imageOne in 1991. However, his entrepreneurial journey began when he and Rob Dube started their first business in the ninth grade. They sold Blow Pops from their lockers. Joel and Rob were introduced to entrepreneurship at this time. Joel understood early on that the passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience was key to their future success. This passion is what continues to drive imageOne’s growth. ImageOne, which is celebrating its 26th anniversary and has 50+ employees, specializes in managing documents throughout their lifecycle. ImageOne helps businesses across the nation manage their internal print environments and solve creative document workflow challenges, saving both time and cost. Joel and Rob were inspired by the book Small Giants by Bo Burlingham to create a culture of giving and an incredible company. The company’s culture has won numerous awards, including the “101 Best and brightest companies to work with” award and been featured in books such as Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading by Ari Weinzweig, Finish Big by Bo Burlingham, and Traction and rocket fuel by Gino Wickman. Joel is proudest of imageOne’s ranking by Forbes Magazine in the top 25 small businesses of America for 2017.