International Webinar 2022 - Business culture, how to step forward - part 5

Academics from Malaysia say that one way to move forward in modern business culture is to provide great service. Customer service is about managing customer expectations to give them what they want, when they want it, in the best way to meet those expectations. If your business provides good customer service, you have a much better chance of retaining and increasing your customer base.


The level of customer service you and your team provide contributes to the way customers see your business. This can also affect their buying decision. For example, excellent customer service can lead to:

- increase in customer numbers—through word of mouth and online recommendations
- higher amount of money spent per customer per transaction
- repeat customer visits
- more referrals to your business.


Build an excellent customer service culture in your business by planning, developing and maintaining a customer service program. Good customer service is essential to how you deal with customers—face to face, over the phone, or online.


Listening, understanding your customer's needs, thanking the customer and promoting a positive, helpful and friendly environment will ensure they leave with a good impression. Happy customers return often and tend to spend more. They can also refer other people to your business. Consider these elements of good customer service: customer relationship, training and culture, complaint handling, product knowledge.


To provide good customer service, understand who your customers are and what they want, need, and expect. Gather as much information about your customers as possible. Try to find out what your customers buy, and why, and how often they buy. Find out details like their lifestyle, work and interests. This includes potential customers who have asked questions about your product or service.


Every customer has a different perception of what customer service means to them. To provide good customer service, you must know what your customers need and how to meet those needs. Find out how your customers expect you to meet their needs. Expected service levels may vary between consumer groups, industries and markets. Research your market and target market to find out what customers expect from your business in your location.


To plan the best service to customers, you need to make a flowchart. A service delivery flowchart will help you examine the relationship between what your customers expect (eg service provided by trained staff), and how successfully the service meets customer expectations. This can help you identify gaps in your customer service, and how to improve them. Create a set of maps and pictures that explain:

- how you provide services to customers
- where things can go wrong
- what to do when a service failure occurs

Consider including these 4 actions in your service delivery flowchart : understanding customer expectations, establishing service values and standards, developing skills, finding expectations.


This material was delivered by a presenter from Malaysia in an international webinar entitled "Business culture: how to step forward" which was held by STEKOM University in collaboration with Universiti Perlis Malaysia, Singapore University of social science, PTIC and various other parties. The name of the presenter from Malaysia is DR MOSD SHAHIDAN SHAARI who is a lecturer at the Faculty of Applied and Human Science Universiti Malaysia Perlis.


This international webinar activity is part of the implementation of STEKOM University's commitment to increase various international activities. This was done in order to realize the vision to become an international-class university. Various international activities carried out by STEKOM University continue from year to year. There are international activities that are sustainable and there are also some international activities that are not sustainable. All types of international activities are accommodated and regulated by the International department of STEKOM University.