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BETTER BUSINESS

wrong then they are right. It’s what clear and very logical – “always make
they believe”. For him, the issue is sure you are in credit with a client
whether a customer is being unrea- with promises, and service and so
sonable and “if they are, then you are when you are the one needing flexi-
entitled to reason with them”.
Overall, though, Coxon says that bility you have deposits that you can
while Pensord has done well because draw down on”.
it has streamlined many client pro- Part of this means good communi-
cesses and methods, it sometimes cation and in today’s ‘always on’
has to adapt and then let the relation- world, he’s says that this is especially
ship evolve through good client man- important. He takes the line that
agement and communication. while “from a day-to-day perspective

The impact of coronavirus it is still expected that account man-
agers are only contactable between
Firms, do (or should do) plan to certain hours, business owners and
the nth degree, but situations can
come along and derail ordinarily directors should always be contacta-
good processes. Covid-19 is one such ble 24/7 so that really important
example and some have used it as a issues can be handled”.
shield to hide deficiencies. In fact, Neal wouldn’t disagree. He also
Causon says that, according to the recognises that customers need to be
institute’s Index, almost a quarter of able to contact key people in a busi-
customers believe some organisa-
tions have abused Covid to their own ness when they need to. “That
benefit. She adds: “Customers have doesn’t mean,” he says, “that they
been understanding up to a point, will contact you out-of-hours, but
but many are starting to view the they do need to know it is possible.
Covid as an excuse for poor service, This is all down to relationship and
rather than a legitimate reason for effective communication.” He says
delays, staff shortages and the like.” that being a 24-hour manufacturer
In Causon’s mind, “good, proac- “we have agreed communication
tive communication is important,
and so is treating staff and supplier channels internally and so we are
partners well to drive greater engage- comfortable offering this level of ser-
ment and commitment”. Experience vice”.
customer satisfaction for their sector versus 14.5% for those with lower than has taught her that those that live by And as for the Institute, Causon
sector-average customer satisfaction. this philosophy – “and have done the notes while there has been a sizeable
right thing more broadly through the
Knowing the faults shift to digital in many strands of life
challenges of the pandemic will have and across all different age demo-
Man is fallible and so for firms to thrive means garnering an understand- built trust that should result in addi- graphics, she thinks that firms could
ing that they and their staff are imperfect. On this Coxon believes that tional loyalty and goodwill when it’s
Pensord has its priorities right. He says that “we look to add value even if it really needed”. do more and maybe deploy more
means taking the conversation way beyond our core activities. We want to It is clear that Covid has affected technology. That said, she says that
make us easy to do business with and take away pain points – it’s key to a print – but not equally. When asked it’s important that they “get the tech-
good strong relationship”. of the impacts of Covid on his busi- nology right, make the transactional
In fact, Coxon seems to delight in using problems as an opportunity to ness, Neal responded with just one aspects efficient and frictionless, and
keep customers happy: “We understand that problems occur and... often word – that there have been “none”. enable self-service if the customer
how you respond is how you are measured ethically.” He adds that he firmly Pensord, on the other hand, as Coxon
believes companies get what they deserve in terms of customers – “we have tells, has seen Covid lead “to reduced wants it”. One option she refers to is
great customers who act and think like we do”. staffing at times and often short the deployment of chatbots “which
Pragmatically, Neal considers that customers are the lifeblood of any busi- notice and an affected supply chain are increasing in sophistication as
ness and explains what he means: “We could be the best or fastest printer in and short notice disruption in manu- there is definitely a part for AI to play
history, but without clients we would not exist. We are a service business. facturing. We’ve always had pride in here”. Nevertheless, she says that the
We just happen to serve ‘print’ – and hopefully very well. We exist to serve.” never going late but recently had to basics are still important, and firms
It’s quite telling that Neal says that he would say the same if he owned a res- manage significant lateness due to should make it easy to contact a real
taurant or a taxi service because “people really remember a good or bad cus- Covid impacts.” But this is where
tomer experience”. Pensord’s previous good character human, remembering that it is
But are customers always right? Coxon thinks so, and states that he’s has come to the company’s aid as “it important that the customer has the
never had a problem with a client thinking they are right or that he is wrong. is where the emotional bank account option of choosing to speak to some-
On the contrary, he says that “if a customer believes he is right, and we are comes in”. Coxon’s advice is very one.

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