How Samsung Turns Customer Service Into A Competitive Advantage

In the 1980s, Jan Carlzon was tasked with turning around Scandinavian Airlines, which had been losing money, and making it profitable. He achieved this by getting everyone to buy into a concept he called “The Moment of Truth.” The definition of this phrase was so straightforward that all Scandinavian Airlines employees could understand it and act accordingly. He defined The Moment of Truth as any time a customer (passenger) came into contact with the company, they had the opportunity to form an impression. All employees were tasked with managing these moments and creating positive impressions. That concept is every bit as valid today as it was over 40 years ago.

This idea is the same, and probably more so, for customer support, the “department” that handles complaints and problems. However, I’d like to paraphrase Carlzon’s timeless wisdom: Any time a customer comes into contact with the company’s customer support department, it is an opportunity to create loyalty.

When you create loyalty through a positive customer experience (CX), especially with customer support, several things happen. First, customers come back. Second, they spend more. Third, they trust the company more. And fourth, they become your best advertising in the form of word of mouth.

Mark Williams, the head of customer care at Samsung Electronics America, has been tasked with turning customer support into a loyalty machine. In a recent interview, he shared several important and powerful points that apply to any business:

Customer Service/Support Shouldn’t Be Just About Fixing Problems

A customer may reach out to the company about a problem, and when they finally finish with the interaction, they have a sense of confidence in the company. Every interaction, even when it starts with a complaint or problem, is an opportunity to turn the customer into a loyal customer and brand ambassador.

Customer Service can be Proactive, Not Just Reactive

This is a powerful concept: proactive customer service. Using technology, a company can anticipate problems. Technology is now being integrated into items to help identify problems, often before customers are even aware of them. For example, Samsung’s “smart appliances” can alert customers that the refrigerator is getting warm and help schedule a repair before all the food in the refrigerator and freezer spoils. Williams says, “Get to customers quicker and solve their problems before they even know they have a problem.”

AI Should Not Replace Humans

The more I talk to CX leaders, the more I hear that companies are not reducing their customer support teams because of AI. If anything, they recognize that AI is a tool that helps people, not replaces them. Williams says, “AI is not a replacement. It is an enhancement to make the experience better and let our agents focus on the customers so they can solve problems quicker and more accurately.” Furthermore, when AI is used internally to assist employees, it delivers the right information in a timely manner and empowers them to create a better customer experience. For complicated issues, AI supports the agent while they resolve customer issues and work on rebuilding the customer’s trust in the brand.

The Three S’s of an Amazing Customer Experience

Williams shared his three core principles for delivering an experience that creates loyalty:

Speed: Reduce the time it takes to resolve a customer’s issue. The sooner, the better. Williams is proud that Samsung’s repair network for consumer electronics covers 99% of the U.S. Eight out of 10 Americans (81%) are within 30 minutes of getting their products serviced. That’s actually convenience combined with speed, a powerful combination.
Simplicity: Make it easy for customers to do business with you. Remove confusing policies and anything else that is inconvenient for the customer. Listen to your front-line employees who are actively listening to your customers to get ideas on how to create a simpler and more convenient experience.
Service: Design experiences that put your customers first. When you put yourself in your customers’ shoes, you’ll find opportunities to improve customer service and the overall customer experience. Service includes friendly employees who are knowledgeable and deliver an experience that builds confidence and trust, even when things go wrong, because customers know they can count on you.

Final Words

For those in leadership who still view customer support as a cost center, think again. The people on the front line, along with the people designing digital self-service—an AI-fueled experience—are the extension of your sales and marketing departments. Loyalty can be built by turning around a customer with a complaint. In short, customer service can be an income-generating department. Reliable products are a given, but it’s the way a company handles a customer during a contentious or disappointing moment that makes them say, “I’ll be back!”