Robert K Taylor Offers Advice on Why Customer Service Matters During the Pandemic

Robert K Taylor
4 min readSep 2, 2021

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In today’s business world, customer service is an integral part of maintaining a successful company. Robert K Taylor, a consultant from Sanger, California, feels that as companies continue to provide positive experiences for their customers and gain loyalty, satisfaction trumps profits related to success in this industry landscape.

What is customer service, and why is it important

Customer service is the act of making sure customers have a positive experience. Organizations and individuals can provide customer service, creating loyal consumers who will buy from you again and recommend your company to others. Robert K Taylor says that customer satisfaction matters more than profits because it makes a profit in the long run through higher sales volume and reduced costs due to less wasted time with unhappy employees or dissatisfied clients/customers.

The importance of customer service during a crisis

Customer service is an important aspect that companies should continue to strengthen. It can be the most useful tool businesses have in their arsenal during a crisis as they work towards recovery. Strong customer service facilitates relationships with customers, which allow for trust and loyalty during times of stress or negative publicity; this could help attract new business when things start turning around.

Strong communication between employees will also lead to faster resolutions before consumers jump ship completely, leaving them without much recourse at all if damage has already been done on both sides due to a lack of sufficient response time from a company that doesn’t value its clientele enough not simply because there are so many other options available but because those clients feel taken advantage of leading up until the point where they no longer wish buy

A business needs to care for its customers even after they head home, listening and empathizing with them so that you can show how much consideration is given. For Robert K Taylor, honesty is the most important part of how you interact with customers. You must always keep your word as it builds credibility in the company’s reputation of being trusted by their clients. If there are changes made from what was originally discussed, update them promptly.

How to be a good customer service representative

To the customer, you are the company. Whether or not you have any decision-making power, you are the one the customer is talking to, and they most likely will never get a chance to speak to anyone with more authority than your manager or maybe your manager’s manager. However, to the customer, if you seem not to care about their concerns, then the company owner doesn’t care about their concerns. Here are a few key things to remember that will help you give the best possible customer service experience.

  • Always be polite and courteous
  • Listen to the customer and ask questions when necessary
  • Be knowledgeable about the company’s products or services
  • Put yourself in their shoes — what would you want if you were a customer service representative for your company
  • Offer solutions to problems, not just apologies for them
  • Treat every interaction with a customer as an opportunity to make a positive impression on someone who may become a long-term client of your company

Examples of how great customer service can make a difference during a crisis

A crisis can either bring people together or tear them apart. Companies and employees had to step up multiple times in the last six months to provide amazing customer service when needed most during challenging times.

The world has recently been put through a lot of tough times, but in these moments, companies and employees have the opportunity to rise to be heroes. Customers are most often looking for good service during challenging times, so this is an excellent time for them to shine. Here are a few of Robert K Taylor’s favorite real-world examples of companies going above and beyond during this pandemic.

Pharmacist delivers medicine to home-bound patients

A Connecticut pharmacist went above and beyond the call of duty. After clocking out of his normal shift, he delivers medicine to customers who cannot leave their houses. Apart from medicines, he also delivered hand sanitizer and other medical supplies to local nursing homes.

Walmart manager helps the elderly

An elderly Massachusetts couple had been relying on Walmart’s no-contact grocery delivery to get by during lockdown. When they had trouble tracking down some hard-to-find items, they called the store and asked to speak with the manager. The manager took their plight to heart and personally helped them track down the missing items.

College Chefs serve the retirement community

After the campus was shut down for in-person classes, the College of William and Mary helped a Virginia retirement community prepare and delivered meals to the 350 residents living in isolation.

Zappos opens a hotline to chat with customers

During the social distancing and isolation era, Zappos customer service reps have been trying to get to know the customers calling in to track down their gift packages. They were sometimes talking to customers for up to 45 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Customer service is an integral part of maintaining a successful company. As companies continue to provide positive experiences for their customers and gain loyal patrons who purchase from them again and recommend the brand to others, satisfaction trumps profits related to success in this industry landscape. But what does that mean for you? It means customer service matters more than ever before!

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Robert K Taylor
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Robert K Taylor is a former public adjuster turned consultant from Sanger, California