Premium Service, Without the Premium Price
White glove customer service is about delighting your customers.
White glove customer service refers to a premium, highly personalized level of service that prioritizes the customer experience at every touchpoint. It goes beyond standard customer service by offering attention to detail, proactive communication, and tailored solutions to meet individual customer needs. The term originates from the idea of handling something with great care, similar to how delicate or valuable items are managed.
To date, as best we can tell, no customer of any organization in any industry has complained about being treated too well. Whether it’s called concierge service or the white glove customer service, all the recipients know is that what they received was beyond the norm, it was delivered on a consistent basis, and it did not cost extra. This type of service, typically associated with luxury goods, is filtering across the general marketplace with an emphasis on the customer experience.
The ‘experience’ speaks to all contact that people have with a product or service, from discovery to purchase to after-care and beyond. It is something we are attuned to daily as a BPO providing customer service for companies in a wide array of industries. Our role is to be ambassadors of the brands who entrust us with customer care, essentially to provide the level of responsiveness and effectiveness that reinforces the consumer’s original buying decision.
Key Characteristics of White Glove Customer Service:
Personalization:
Each interaction is tailored to the specific customer, addressing their unique preferences, history, and needs.
Service representatives often have detailed knowledge of the customer’s previous interactions, purchase history, and potential issues.
Proactive Support:
White glove service often involves reaching out to customers before they even realize they have an issue, providing solutions in advance.
Companies may anticipate future needs and offer additional services or upgrades proactively.
Attention to Detail:
Every aspect of the customer journey is handled with care, from the initial inquiry to follow-up after the service or sale is complete.
This includes offering personalized solutions and ensuring that even the smallest details of the customer’s requests are met.
Exceptional Communication:
Constant, clear, and empathetic communication is key. Customers are kept informed at every stage of their journey, often receiving real-time updates and check-ins.
Communication is often direct and immediate, with priority access to support through dedicated representatives or VIP lines.
End-to-End Service:
The service typically involves managing the entire process for the customer. This might include everything from product delivery and setup to troubleshooting and ongoing support.
It often extends to extra services, such as unpacking, assembly, installation, or personalized training on the product or service.
High Responsiveness:
Customer inquiries are responded to immediately, and problems are resolved quickly, with minimal effort required from the customer.
Often, a dedicated support agent or team handles each customer’s needs, creating a one-on-one experience.
Follow-Up and Continued Engagement:
After the primary service or transaction is complete, follow-up communication ensures that the customer is satisfied and addresses any additional needs.
White glove service often continues beyond the initial interaction, maintaining a relationship with the customer through periodic check-ins or loyalty perks.
Benefits of White Glove Customer Service:
Customer Loyalty: Customers who receive this level of care are more likely to become repeat customers and advocates for the brand.
High Customer Satisfaction: This service model leads to greater satisfaction, as it reduces the effort required from the customer and ensures their needs are fully met.
Premium Pricing: White glove service allows businesses to charge premium prices, as customers are willing to pay more for the convenience, care, and attention they receive.
Examples of White Glove Customer Service:
Luxury Brands: High-end brands often provide white glove service, ensuring their customers receive personalized attention and a seamless purchasing experience.
Premium Technical Support: Some tech companies offer white glove services to ensure their products are installed correctly and that customers are fully trained on their use.
Home Delivery and Setup: Companies that deliver large or expensive items (e.g., furniture, electronics) may provide white glove delivery, where the product is delivered, set up, and tested by the delivery team, who also remove any packaging or waste.
People Hate Being Sold But They Love to Buy
Consumers don’t simply purchase things; they buy solutions to problems, they buy for personal gratification, and they buy to make others happy. Each purchase decision represents an investment, financial in each case, but often an emotional investment, too. Paying attention to the entire experience is a pro-active means of connecting the various touchpoints between employee and consumer, with the goal of creating memorable moments.
In the BPO environment, CSAT (customer satisfaction) scores are a rolling scorecard of an organization’s ability to deliver on the brand promise. However, a little perspective to keep in mind: if the average CSAT score is 93% – which is a very desirable figure – it also means that 7% of customers were not satisfied. Which group is more likely to share its experience with others?
Numbers Behind the Numbers
You’ve likely heard of The Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule; it applies here in numerous ways:
- Often, 20% of the customers account for 80% of a company’s business
- On a personal level, 20% of your actions account for 80% of your results
- The one or two key goals are worth more than other eight or nine
In terms of the experience, however, there is also a converse effect:
- The 7% of dissatisfied customers account for a great deal more than 7% of supervisors’ attention. It’s not the preferred means of time management but making that group whole again is vital for two reasons: 1) failure to do so creates an organization’s most vocal critics and 2) success in doing so can often make those customers into your champions.
Keep Raising the Bar
A 100% CSAT is likely beyond reach; perfection is a tough standard to meet. But treating each interaction as the most vital of the day dramatically reduces the number of unhappy customers. Meeting expectations is the baseline; exceeding them is the goal and this results in experiences that customers want to share with others, experiences that can turn into third-party referrals.
White glove customer service is less complicated than it sounds: do what you say, treat customers as you would expect to be treated, be empathetic when necessary, and follow up as required. The evolution of customer expectations – and of the customer experience being a topic of discussion – should mean that the internal bar is always being raised.
