Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. According to Turban et al. (2002), "Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation."
The importance of customer service may vary by product or service, industry and customer. The perception of success of such interactions will be dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest," according to Micah Solomon. Customer service can also refer to the culture of the organization - the priority the organization assigns to customer service relative to other components, such as product innovation or low price. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than average organization, or proactively interview customers for feedback.
Starting a customer service consulting business typically involves writing a business plan detailing the consulting service you plan to provide. Customer service consulting businesses typically help companies define their strategic direction for customer support. After analyzing customer service processes, consultants typically realign the customer service staff and technology to strategic goals. These efforts lead to increased customer satisfaction, cost efficiencies and optimized staffing. Successfully starting your customer service consulting business depends on comprehensive planning and research.
