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Home » Featured Content » Hello, Customer Service? Are You There?

Hello, Customer Service? Are You There?

Kristin Laird

I recently received my annual family Christmas cards in the mail… sans picture. Yep, beautiful cards on amazing matte card stock with a festive tree and “Happy Holidays from the Laird Family”… no picture. This was a new company I used because (I’m ashamed to say) the price was simply lower and it seemed really easy. But, when I reached out to customer service… crickets.

There wasn’t much that could be done because I had apparently approved the blank cards – not sure how I managed to do that. But, it’s not a complete loss, because now we’re free to let our family creativity shine through! But, this brings me to my point. When you pay for a service, you expect that service. Choosing a provider is not just about price or features. Customer service is one of the most important, yet often most under valued attributes of companies today.

I am willing to give a restaurant where I received bad food a second chance… if they provided amazing service. I’m willing to return to a retail store that sold me a shirt that unraveled… if they provided amazing service. I’m even willing to return to a printing company that botched my Christmas cards… if they provided amazing customer service. It’s amazing what we’ll forgive, if only the human element is there.

It might be easy to dismiss customer service as a thing of the past as we deal with an increased number of internet companies. But the human element will never be completely eradicated. And, as long as the human element is there, it’s reasonable to expect great customer service. In fact, as we become less connected, I feel that customer service is a great opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves from the crowd.

I’m proud to say I work for a company that puts client experience and service above all else. Not a single person – from intern to marketing to development to executive – who works here puts anything above the satisfaction of our clients. In fact, we’re hired for our attitude toward continual improvement and doing the right thing.

It doesn’t matter which industry, doing the right thing is simple… and it shouldn’t have to be explained. It’s “just business” is not a valid excuse for failing to follow through on a promise. Companies should remember that each and every touchpoint is an opportunity to build relationships and reputation.

But, what do you do when it’s become apparent you need to switch service providers? Ultimately, there is no better resource for finding out what a company will be able to do for you other than speaking with peers. Talk to friends, family, and colleagues. The people who have experienced these services for themselves will tell you what was good, what was bad, and what has improved since they started doing business with that vendor.

In the philanthropic sector, there are resources such as Technology Affinity Group, Grants Managers Network, Exponent Philanthropy, Foundation Center, and more that provide research resources and opportunities to connect with peers.

We’d love to hear about some of the resources you’ve used to research technology, service providers, and more. Please shoot us a comment below!

Looking to learn more?

If you’re interested in learning about what continual improvement and customer service look like from a technology company, check out one of our demonstration webinars here.
 Kristin Laird is the Content Marketing Manager at Foundant Technologies. She is passionate about sharing knowledge with the philanthropic community so they can do more. As an avid reader and writer, Kristin is fascinated with the written word and all forms of communication. In her spare time, she loves to read, write, swim, cook, and spend time with her comedic husband and children. Volunteering throughout the community and finding ways to get involved with fundraisers that make a difference is important to her - and getting her children involved, even more so. Kristin volunteers with Haven, a local shelter for victims of domestic violence, and her kids - Camden (12) and Taylor (9) - are Certified Cat Cuddlers at Bozeman's local Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter. Drop her a line at email@example.com if you have an idea for some inspiring content!

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Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) is located in a small, but very active community in the northwest ...
 
Each and every Foundant team member has a copy of the list featured within this Blog. These are our Core Va...


 
Making & creating connections isn’t a complicated practice, but it takes work & commitment. In our noise-filled world, how can funders communicate, and be intentional with grantee relationships?
 Maximize Your Visibility with GuideStar - Tips for (Overly) Busy Nonprofits

Learn how you can optimize your visibility using the Nonprofit Profile on GuideStar and maximize your fundraising success.
 
This on-demand webinar focuses on the funder’s role in collecting, tracking, and using data from the real-world perspective of three Foundant clients in a funder role.
 Become an Intentional Data Collector: An actionable guide for funders How to Build a Winning Grants Team Part 3: Post & Off Season

Are you ready to ‘Go the distance’? After wrapping up Spring Training and having a successful Regular Season you’re more than ready to enter Post Season and eventually transition into the Off Season.
 
Don’t ask, “What can technology do for me?” Instead ask, “How can I leverage technology to do better?” The right solution should be an extension of your knowledge, talents, and passion..
 
GUEST POST | Discovering your own Social Impact Personality Type will inspire you to focus on today’s social impact culture mindset. Dive in to gain an idea of your Social Impact Culture Type!
 
Dealing with data leaving you overwhelmed? Here is our list of common data traps and how you can break free of them.
 
Real-world #PhilanthropyExperience from your peers. What kind of relationships do you encourage with your grantees? How do you form strong relationships with your grantees?
 
A well-written executive summary can arguably be the most important element of the proposal. Check out these simple steps to creating an executive summary that is clear, concise, and persuasive.
 
Are you overwhelmed with different workstreams and feel that you could be more effective in how you work? Project management is a term thrown around, but what does it really mean?
 
Tracking and using data can be overwhelming. Dive into what Grantmakers & Grantseekers are doing to deal with their data.
 
While the pressures of change may continue to present challenges, if we have learned anything, it is that knowledge, information and working toward shared goals can help.
 
Real-world #PhilanthropyExperience from your peers. What do impacts and outcomes mean to you? What has been your most successful way(s) to measure the impact of your grantmaking?
 
A year ago we hatched an idea. Could we gather our community of grantmakers and grantseekers to leverage their collective experience, knowledge, and advice? We surveyed our community and…
 Scholarship Planning: What worked, what didn’t, and how to move forward.

Action is where the change happens. A well thought out action is what makes the next cycle smoother. Consider the following solutions to alleviate pain points...
 
Understanding roles can help you hone in on which "measuring stick" you need to use in order to better track funding outcomes.
 
Learn to re-imagine how you present basic documents such as your budget, organizational description, and board and staff bios so they add significant credibility to your request.
 
I bet that your daily workload encompasses far more tasks than what is listed in your job description. How do we do everything, and do it well?
 
Work life balance is, well, a balancing act. Here are a few ways we, at Foundant keep ourselves feeling energized and productive during the day, both inside and outside of the office!
