Specialty Graphic Imaging Association
	Executive Summary June 2009

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Is there anyone who isn’t rallying around improved customer service to work through the recession? I thought not. Improving customer service — on any level — is a good thing, but many members I talk with are setting the customer service bar too low.

Great customer service requires much more than added personal contact or quicker response to customer requests. Great customer service isn’t adding a smile and a personal follow-up to business transactions. These are examples of “customer experience” not customer service.  A positive customer experience is a must in today’s competitive, fast-paced marketplace. We are all working harder to establish and maintain personal business relationships in a world of bits, bytes and bandwidth.

A positive customer experience is the first step toward customer service, but providing great customer service takes much more effort. It means contributing to your customers’ goals at such a level that they consider your efforts imperative to their business success. Great customer service is not value added; it strikes right at the core values of the customer. It’s providing a service or level of expertise that your customer relies on, trusts and applies to their business actions.

When achieved, the customer knows that your understanding of their business doesn’t just support their efforts — it leads the way to reaching their goals. You become a partner in their quest.  As Marc Miller, the 2009 SGIA Expo Keynoter says, “You will have earned a seat at the table.”

I encourage you to re-evaluate your customer service efforts. Move beyond the customer service bandwagon where efforts fizzle out after simply improving the customer experience. Roll up those sleeves, do the homework, take the risk and become an integral part of your customers’ success.