How to Show You Care with Above-and-Beyond Customer Service

In a world where consumers have more choice than ever, customer experience has become the key differentiator. According to research by Forrester, customers are willing to pay 4.5 times more for excellent customer experience compared to poor customer experience. And a study by American Express found that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience.

The message is clear: Amazing customer service is no longer a nice-to-have – it‘s a must-have for any company that wants to stay competitive. But what exactly does "amazing" customer service look like? It‘s not just about meeting basic expectations or fixing problems when they arise. True customer service excellence is about going above and beyond to show customers that you genuinely care about them and are committed to their success.

Here are four powerful strategies for taking your customer service from ordinary to extraordinary:

1. Make Customer Success Your Top Priority

The most customer-centric companies don‘t just provide reactive support – they proactively work to help customers achieve their goals. For example:

• USAA, the financial services company for military members and their families, consistently ranks at the top of customer experience rankings. Their secret? An unwavering focus on their customers‘ #1 need: financial security. USAA goes above and beyond with fraud detection technology, user-friendly digital tools, and knowledgeable service that make customers feel safe and supported.

• Amazon is famous for its customer obsession – in fact, CEO Jeff Bezos keeps an empty chair in meetings to represent the customer. By orienting every business decision around the customer perspective, Amazon has built a fiercely loyal following. Case in point: Amazon Prime members spend an average of $1,400 per year, compared to $600 per year for non-Prime members.

How can you embed customer success into your company‘s DNA? Start by deeply understanding your customers‘ needs, goals and challenges. Collect voice-of-customer data through surveys, interviews, and analyzing customer service interactions. Share these insights across the organization, and use them to guide everything from product development to marketing to customer service training for employees. Establish metrics tied to customer success, like Net Promoter Score or Customer Effort Score, and continually work to improve them.

2. Exceed Expectations in Unexpected Ways

Good customer service is forgettable – but creative, above-and-beyond acts of service can turn customers into passionate brand advocates. Need inspiration? Look no further than:

• Zappos, the online shoe retailer that‘s a cult favorite thanks to its incredible customer service. Zappos empowers service reps to do whatever it takes to "wow" customers – whether that means expediting a shipment at no extra cost, upgrading a customer to overnight shipping, or even hand-delivering a package.

• Ritz-Carlton, the luxury hotel famous for its "ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen" ethos. Employees have up to $2,000 per guest to delight them in unique ways, like drawing a bath with rose petals for a guest‘s anniversary or shipping a beloved teddy bear to a child‘s home after it was left behind in the hotel room.

To exceed expectations in your own business, give frontline employees the training and autonomy to get creative in solving customers‘ problems. Set up a "surprise and delight" budget they can tap into. Collect and share stories of employees going above and beyond so it becomes part of your company‘s culture and folklore.

You can also look for small, inexpensive ways to elevate the customer experience. For example, online clothing retailer Everlane includes a handwritten thank-you note with each order. Ecommerce company Man Crates sends a personalized gift wrap option that looks like it was wrapped by a 6-year-old – which customers rave about. These little touches add up to an experience that feels truly special.

3. Add Value Beyond Your Product or Service

Another way to stand out from the crowd is by offering unique value-added services that complement your core business. Classic examples include:

• Apple‘s Genius Bar, where customers can access free, expert technical support for Apple products in a sleek, friendly retail environment. With an appointment-based system and highly knowledgeable staff, the Genius Bar turns tech troubleshooting from a painful chore into a seamless, even enjoyable experience perfectly aligned with Apple‘s premium brand.

• Sephora‘s complimentary makeup tutorials and classes, which create an immersive beauty experience and sense of community that has inspired incredible customer loyalty. On average, Sephora loyalty program members spend 4 times more than non-member customers.

Consider what educational content, community features, or enhanced support you could provide to help customers make the most of your products or services. For example:

• A software company could offer virtual office hours where customers can ask experts about using advanced features
• A gourmet food brand could create recipes and host a cooking club
• An apparel retailer could offer personalized style consulting

By adding value beyond the purchase, you give customers more reasons to engage with and feel positively about your brand.

4. Spotlight Your Customer Service Wins

When you have customers who rave about their experience with your brand, shine a spotlight on their stories! For example:

• TD Bank created an annual Customer Appreciation Day video campaign featuring real customers sharing their stories of how TD Bank helped them in big and small ways. The campaign generated millions of video views, showing the power of using authentic customer voices in marketing.

• JetBlue showcases great customer service moments on its "Inspire Humanity" blog. For example, they featured the story of a flight attendant who had memorized the names of all 150 passengers prior to a flight, making each person feel valued and seen.

Amplify positive customer stories by:

• Sharing customer testimonials and social media praise on your website and marketing channels
• Creating case studies that detail how you solved a customer‘s unique challenge
• Inviting happy customers to participate in video interviews or speak at events
• Establishing a formal customer advocacy program to nurture your biggest fans

By celebrating your customers as the heroes of your brand story, you remind them of the value you provide and inspire prospective customers to want to do business with you too.

Tying It All Together

Providing above-and-beyond customer service doesn‘t happen by accident – it takes a commitment from leadership to make service a top priority, and an empowered team that‘s equipped to make it happen every day.

As you work to uplevel your customer experience, keep these principles in mind:

1. Align service with your customers‘ definition of success. Deeply understand what matters most to your customers and orient your entire service experience around helping them achieve their goals.

2. Empower employees to get creative. Give frontline staff the training and trust to improvise solutions in service of the customer. Collect and celebrate their service wins to reinforce customer-centric behaviors.

3. Look for little ways to surprise and delight. While major above-and-beyond service moments are great, small touches can be just as meaningful. Brainstorm ways to inject moments of delight into your typical customer experience.

4. Add value outside your core product. Consider what resources, perks, or services you can provide to help customers get maximum value from what you sell. An educational program, enhanced support offerings, or exclusive experiences can set you apart.

5. Let customers tell your story. Proactively collect and share positive customer stories through testimonials, case studies, and advocacy programs. Nothing is more powerful than your happiest customers spreading the word about you.

When you approach customer service not as an obligation or cost center, but as an opportunity to create true customer delight, you open the door for differentiation, loyalty, and growth. By aiming to be a service hero for your customers, you become one for your business as well.