Two Sisters Conduct 12-Week Customer Satisfaction Study, Issue New Customer Service Tip Booklet As Result

GRAYSLAKE, ILL -– Two Illinois sisters issued their 2003 Customer Satisfaction Survey results today. After their 12-week study (June - August 2003) of 485 undercover shops, they revealed that on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being very dissatisfied and 5 very satisfied, the overall quality of customer service delivered was 2.9 (or the upper end of dissatisfied).

"There's no scientific or statistical hocus-pocus with our survey. It's just two ordinary women doing everyday shopping, then rating our levels of customer satisfaction, ' said Cindy Lewis, one of the sisters. "It seemed like all we kept hearing from each other, our neighbors, friends, family, and even fellow shoppers was that there's no such thing as good customer service anymore. No one in business seems to care whether the customer gets help, is treated courteously, or even has a clean, well-stocked bathroom to use.'

Using their study's findings, the sisters collaborated and self-published their new booklet, Beyond Taking the Customer's Money: 93 Customer Service Tips. "Rather than just complain about customer service, we wanted to do something to help. Our booklet is an inexpensive and easy way for businesses to remind their employees what good customer service is, and to send the message to them that without customers there's no business and without business there are no jobs.'

The sisters think it's the perfect time for business owners, branch managers, tellers, wait staff, cashiers, and clerks to ask themselves this pivotal question. Is the level of customer service I just gave my last customer, the same service I'd give my dad, best friend, or my child's teacher?

"If it's not, then fix it. This isn't brain surgery. It's good manners, mutual respect, and putting customers before yourselves,' concluded Lewis.

The sisters evaluated their individual experiences anonymously buying groceries, returning shoes, stopping for a sandwich, and asking about home equity loans, for example. The stores, restaurants, and banks
they visited were rated in six categories: courtesy, product knowledge, selling and cross-selling, problem solving, environment, and signage/pricing (later to become the booklet's categories of tips). The shops were performed weekdays and weekends, and at various times of day.

Lewis continued, "The businesses, locations, shopping scenarios, scheduling, and employees shopped were randomly selected, according to where we live (from northern Lake County to southern Cook County). Ours may be a small sampling, compared to other formal studies, but we suspect that customer service isn't much better elsewhere in America.'

To order a single copy of the sister's 16-page booklet, Beyond Taking the Customer's Money: 93 Customer Service Tips, send $5.50 to Cindy Lewis at 502 Switchgrass Lane, Dept. EM1, Grayslake, IL 60030. For more information about quantity discounts and customizing the booklet for your business, contact them at (847) 548-2677 or custservmatters@aol.com.

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