GREAT Handovers
How to seamlessly hand over your customers
Customers want service that is easy and effortless. But sometimes we have to hand our customers over to a different colleague or department; that’s often where the customer can fall through the cracks and trust is broken. GREAT handovers mean that you hand your customer over in a seamless way, maintaining a trust-building experience.
Pioneering research conducted by the Corporate Executive Board[1] revealed that customers hate being transferred and they also hate having to repeat their story to the adviser they are transferred to. This can be a trust-breaking experience. When handing over your customer, you have a responsibility to both your customer and your colleague to hand the customer over in a seamless and trust-building way. This ensures that your customer continues to have a great experience and also sets your colleague up for success in managing their part of the customer’s query
Here are three strategies to help you:
- Instil confidence
It’s important that your customer feels confident that their query will be resolved, even though they are being handed over to another adviser. To instil confidence:
- Explain to your customer why you are handing their query over and what you have done so far
- Clearly signpost what the next steps will be
- Reassure your customer that you have explained their situation and query in full to your colleague and that your colleague will be able to provide the help that they need
- Tell the story
Not only do we have a responsibility to the customer when handing them over, we also have a responsibility to the colleague we are handing the customer to. It’s important that you tell your customer’s story to your colleague so that they have a full picture of the customer’s situation, including both facts and feelings. Ensure that you:
- Introduce your customer to your colleague
- Fully explain the customer’s situation and what they need help with
- Consider what your colleague needs and make sure you do whatever you can to make their part of the process go smoothly
- Record notes accurately and fully
- Own it
There are many things that might be outside of your control when you are handing your customer over. However it’s important to focus on what you can influence not on what you can’t. Be mindful of the part you play in handing your customer over; deliver a GREAT experience and set up your colleague for success in playing their part in helping the customer.
Take a look at our GREAT handovers programme and if you’d like to explore this topic further give us a call on 01582 463464. We’re always here to help.
