We frequently go through some of our larger customer accounts and call to check in and see how the service is working for them. On one occasion, I came across a large account. At first glance, I noted that they paid their bill each month and almost never called Customer Service. Great, right?
But when I called and spoke with them, I found out they were experiencing a number of technical issues and were considering switching to a different provider. They just didn’t have the time to call us or try to resolve the issues. I’d gone into the call thinking this customer was going to sing our praises, only to find out that we had challenges to deal with. While I wasn’t able to resolve all of their issues immediately, I was able to open up a feedback loop with the customer to work towards resolution.
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a fantastic way to measure how satisfied our customers are, and how likely they are to recommend us to friends and colleagues. But what I learned in this case, is that we may have customers that are too busy to call Customer Service or complete one of our NPS surveys.
It was a great reminder to me that a silent customer isn’t always a happy customer. Never underestimate the importance of reaching out to those who use your product. Regular contact with them will give you valuable insight into how your customers experience your service, and may very well turn a frustrated user into someone who champions your product.
This post first appeared on Communicate Better Blog, a customer-service resource managed by Jeremy Watkin and Jenny Dempsey, who just happen to lead Phone.com’s outstanding Customer Service team.