Southwest Airlines serves 58 cities in 30 states, providing 90 percent of all discount air travel in America. The company has been profitable for 29 of its 31 years in operation, and attributes this success to a focus on customer service and competitive pricing. Southwest's profitability has continued despite the tragic events of 9/11/2001.
In its constant search for ways to better serve its customers, Southwest became the first airline to develop a Web site and has been using that channel to sell tickets for several years. In the wake of 9/11, the airline sought to improve customer service by minimizing delays caused by heightened airport security. It decided to integrate its Rapid Rewards frequent flyer, loyalty-based program with its reservation system to eliminate delays caused by reservation transactions. Its goal was to allow customers to get tickets instantly with one simple card swipe so that agents would no longer have to ask for information such as addresses and name spellings, which created delays.
Customer service management is increasingly becoming a vital business issue as organizations realize the benefits of customer relationship management (or CRM) to provide effective customer support. Professionals working within customer-focused businesses, or those running call centers or help desks, need to keep informed about the latest customer service techniques and learn from the experiences of those running a successful customer service function. From small customer service departments to large call centers, the importance of developing a valued relationship with customers using CRM is essential to support long-term business growth.
How to fix problems and dealing with emotions in CS
- Identify the Target Customer.
- Begin by identifying the target customers and by considering the point of purchase, point of service delivery or receipt, and point of consumption.
Cluster or segment target customers based on.....
