12 Service standards examples

Giving customers top-notch service is an absolute must for any organization to thrive. Service standards examples help make this happen by helping you set clear expectations for your employees. Learn more about them and help your team build strong and lasting relationships with your customers through this article.

What are service standards?

Service standards are guidelines that explain the level of quality and consistency customers can expect from a business. They cover everything from how employees should treat customers to how products should be delivered.

In the hospitality industry, service standards are especially important because they help create a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere for guests. For example, standards might include greeting guests quickly, keeping shared areas clean, and responding to requests promptly. All these contribute to better service, happier customers, and a stronger reputation for the business.

To help make sure that your team delivers consistent and high-quality service, we’ve listed 12 examples of service standards below.

1. Responsiveness

When customers get in touch with a business, they want a speedy response, no matter if it's through face-to-face interaction, email, social media, or live chat. Responsiveness is a standard customer service skill that's all about acknowledging their inquiries and concerns right away. When a company prioritizes this service standard, it shows they genuinely care about keeping their customers happy. 

Most people expect a response within 5 minutes or less! So, it's super important to have a solid plan for those initial customer interactions. Whether you use automated tools or have live customer service agents, make sure you let your customers know that you're on top of their concerns. That way, they'll feel heard and reassured that you're working hard to assist them. 

Customers value businesses that value their time and delays in response or service can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. By tackling customer questions or complaints promptly, businesses can earn trust and nurture positive relationships with their clients.

Join SC Training (formerly EdApp) for free and start implementing different service standards examples!

2. Personalization

Customers love when things are tailored just for them. It's a no-brainer that one of the best ways you can improve your customer service standards is to offer personalized experiences. It's all about making interactions and offerings totally suited to their individual preferences. 

And did you know? This kind of personalization can happen by collecting and using customer data. With that information, you can give unique personalized recommendations, cool targeted marketing campaigns, and even customized product suggestions. 

By really understanding what each customer wants and likes, businesses can create an experience that's not just engaging, but totally unforgettable! And you know what that means? Happy customers who stick around and keep coming back for more.

3. Reliability

Being reliable is a highly crucial service standard example that all businesses should take note of. It's all about keeping your promises and delivering products or services when you say you will. Customers have high expectations, so meeting deadlines and fulfilling commitments are a must. When you consistently come through for them, it builds a solid foundation of trust and credibility. 

Just think about a courier service that's always on point, delivering packages right on time. They become known for their reliability, which brings in more customers and earns their trust. Being reliable is a superpower for businesses.

4. Professionalism

This service standards example is all about showcasing your expertise and trustworthiness, being polite, being accountable, and treating people with respect. Think of it as a package deal that includes things like how you dress, how you talk, how you carry yourself, and how you deal with client concerns. A great example of this is the specific service standards example in hospitality, which usually include dress codes and scripts for dealing with difficult customers.

When customers come across knowledgeable and friendly staff who act professionally, it makes them feel secure and builds up trust in the organization.

5. Empathy

Another valuable example that many companies should add to their customer service guidelines is empathy. This encourages team members to understand and connect with customers on an emotional level. Empathy means putting yourself in your customers’ shoes and showing genuine care and compassion. When you have empathetic interactions, it creates this amazing sense of trust, comfort, and understanding. 

Customers feel like their feelings really matter. And you know what's cool? When businesses make empathy a top priority, customers stick around and show loyalty.

6. Knowledgeability

Knowledgeability as a service standard highlights the importance of having well-informed and competent staff. Customers expect employees to have deep knowledge about their products or services. It’s also an important foundation for building trust. Think about it. How can a customer trust your business if your staff doesn’t know about your product or service?

By investing in training and development programs, organizations can make sure that their employees possess the necessary expertise to answer customer inquiries accurately and offer valuable assistance. Knowledgeable staff instill confidence in customers and enhance the overall customer experience.

To help you improve your team’s knowledgeability and keep them up to date with current services and products, try taking advantage of elearning platforms like SC Training (formerly EdApp). This tool gives you access to a cool quiz feature called Rapid Refresh, which allows you to automatically test your team on how well they remember or understand key details from their employee training guides.

7. Friendliness/Amiability

Having an approachable and friendly staff makes your business more likable and trustworthy. Although it might be unfortunate that your team can't exactly match a customer's tone when chatting, but if you're on a call, take note of their style. But hey, in live chat, you can even sprinkle in a bit of humor if it fits the situation. It won't go unnoticed.

At the end of the day, your support, sales, or hospitality team is often the first point of contact for people. Make sure your staff knows their chat etiquette and don’t forget to get your customers’ feedback through follow-up surveys. All in all, take note that being nice goes a long way in creating a positive customer experience.

8. Quality

Quality is like the holy grail of service standards and it's one example that you can't afford to ignore. Without proper quality assurance and estimation, you might end up losing customers. If you want to make sure your service quality is excellent, start small by listening to client feedback and giving your team access to different quality assurance training courses. 

You can also get your team to chat through common customer concerns and find the best ways to solve them. And here's a secret weapon: invest in a win-win customer service tool. It'll totally level up your game.

When you go above and beyond to provide exceptional service, it makes your clients super happy. This can result in more referrals and recommendations, which are a surefire way to rake in higher profits. So, don't underestimate the power of quality—it can be a total game-changer for your success!

9. Transparency

This example may sound simple, but sometimes the pressure to please customers can make it a bit tricky. Here's the deal: when a customer asks a question and your team members don't know the answer, guessing is a big no-no. Instead, train them to respond with honesty, like saying, "I'm unsure, but I'll do my best to find out for you." This kind of transparency will save your staff from a lot of backtracking and embarrassing moments.

Speaking of transparency, another important thing when providing service is communicating wait times or estimated resolution times. By sharing this, you can help reduce your customer’s anxiety, uncertainty, and stress.

Being transparent about time also helps set realistic expectations for the customer. Whether you’re talking to them in person, using a chat tool, emailing, or making a phone call, it's much better to give them a heads-up about how long they might have to wait. It beats letting their imagination run wild!

10. Efficiency

Efficiency means making the best use of resources to provide better service to your customers. This involves using staff, time, and technology effectively. Remember, efficiency affects how guests feel about their stay.

To boost efficiency, you can try a few simple strategies. For your staff, first, use technology like property management systems to automate routine tasks so they can focus more on their guests. Also, train them on how to manage their time and share any relevant learning resources they need. Teach them to do quick check-ins and deliver timely service for a better customer experience.

11. Accountability

Taking responsibility for what you do in your business is an important service standard everyone must uphold. Each of your staff members should know their role and follow through to create a positive atmosphere that benefits both them and their guests.

If a staff member quickly addresses a guest’s complaint, they’ll be able to turn a bad situation into a good one. Make accountability a part of your workplace culture by clearly defining what each team member is responsible for. Regular training can help everyone understand their roles and build the skills they need to do well.

12. Customer Satisfaction

Lastly, make it your mission to keep customers happy and satisfied. One of the best ways to do this is to keep track of your company’s customer satisfaction scores through metrics like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). These industry-leading metrics can help you gauge your customers’ level of satisfaction and find ways to make it even better. 

Another great way to track their satisfaction is by sending out surveys and getting feedback. Who better to tell you what you need to improve than the customers using your product or service? Overall, businesses all have the same goal, and that’s to create a customer experience that’s off the charts so they can grow and thrive.

Meet customer service standards through training

If you’re wondering how to improve customer service standards, employee training is one of your best solutions. It’s a great starting point to make sure your team knows what’s expected and how to meet those expectations. This helps build trust and loyalty, which are crucial for any business.

Help your team hit those service standards through SC Training. The platform has a variety of fun and engaging training courses specifically designed for customer service. With short, bite-sized lessons, your team can learn at their own pace, which is perfect for busy schedules. The courses cover everything from communication skills to problem-solving, all tailored to what you need.

Build a confident team that consistently delivers great service. Sign up with SC Training today!