What is the difference between Marketing and Customer Service? In a nutshell, Marketing makes promises, and Customer Service delivers on them - 110%. These two professions are so closely linked together in most businesses today that any attempt to separate them causes damage that becomes visible when bottom-line profitability erodes. While many industry professionals now refer to this service component as customer retention, the terms are completely interchangeable.
The purpose of marketing is to determine what products are offered; to whom they are offered; where they are offered; and how they are offered. Customer retention makes sure the product matches its description and supports any attendant guarantee; creates and maintains a warm relationship with the object of the marketing message, the customer; ensures that delivery systems and marketing channels live up to customer expectations; and maintains focus on the customer when reviewing proposed advertising, educational, or promotional plans.
In the past twenty years there has been precious little improvement in true customer service delivery. Events of the 1980's promoted customer retention to professional status. Indeed, I was in the very first group to be credentialed as Certified Customer Service Executives by the International Customer Service Association (ICSA). One of the primary goals of that time was recognizing the value of, and acquiring information generated by, the business or organization's activity. Capturing customer feedback was newly understood to be of great value, and methods for initiating, evaluating and capitalizing on it were created.
Since the 1980's a great amount of data has been collected. Unfortunately, few companies are actually using it in any meaningful way. Companies who were on the cutting edge of service at that time have prospered and define service excellence today. Two companies come to mind immediately, Omaha Steaks International and Motorola. It was my pleasure to represent the former, and an equal privilege to work with Motorola customer service executives during my years on the board of the ICSA.
If any of this sounds vaguely familiar to you, Motorola is where the Six Sigma program originated. It is not unique in its concept. The basics of Six Sigma are the stuff of any organization with great customer focus. Activities that support sales and marketing efforts are proactive, not reactive. The most fertile soil for market research is your current customer base.
So, what does this mean to your company, your business? The message is to recognize that customer service is profit insurance. Limited resources in today's difficult economy require better planning and more leadership than ever before. When gathering talent for your organization, be sure to give equal consideration to both marketing and customer service/retention expertise.
