Have you ever been one of those customers who ask for a particular service and receive a different answer each time? Or, even worse, receive no service at all? Do you or your colleagues know what to do – or who to ask – in every situation? Are the expectations clear on every task you do?
This is the daily working life, isn’t it? Every day, we have the mission to make an internal or external customer happy. And it is incredible how the importance of workflows is still underrated in some organizations.
The word “workflow” often conjures up images of software, but this is not necessarily true. A workflow is, by definition, the sequence of operations or activities through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion.
Therefore, the implementation of workflows should be, in principle:
- The management of information flow in your business processes and
- The harmonization of all human interactions and administrative tasks involved in a process
Some of the advantages of workflows include efficiency and cost savings, which makes sense. By optimizing your processes and improving the quality of the information exchanged, you eliminate the waste in your process in terms of time and money.
Other advantages
But what about other advantages that are more human-related? For instance:
Consistency
The process’s participants handle every situation following the same principles. Exceptions are treated in an alternative way, but they pursue a single purpose.
Accountability
Every person assigned to a task is responsible for its completion, regardless of its complexity. Every task is a mission!
Clarity
All activities have a specific goal in the process. Expectations are evident at every step of the chain.
How does this contribute to better customer service?
Well, your customer knows that:
- No matter the situation, you or your colleagues will respond in the same way (consistency in the service)
- Regardless of the level of knowledge, you or your colleagues will be responsible for completing the task (accountability in the team)
- There is no room for assumptions; you or your colleagues will be evident in your communication, asking for questions (clarity in both sides’ expectations)
Wouldn’t this make your customers happy?
Consider yourself: would you return to this company to consume their products or services? Would you recommend this company to your friends? Would you trust them to find the solution to your problem? The reason for every business is to make customers happy. Money is just a result of that.
