Customer Service

Building Customer Trust is paramount to the success of any business.  With the pressures of team member safety, profit-loss metrics and regulatory compliance this focus can sometimes be lost during the fast-paced day-to-day operations.  However, as with base quality and food safety SOPs/programs, a company should consider how it can place continual emphasis on the customer.

All customers are important, but some carry a heavier weight if they represent a significant percentage of the production/profit for a facility (considered a core customer).  As a result, the landscape of quality checks can look quite different than the standard offering of checks for non-core customers.  One way to ensure the team consistently focuses on core customers is through the creation of very detailed checks specific to the successful production of products for core customers.  These should be outlined in every step of the food preparation process, including receiving and storage, when deciding what checks to include.

Continuous Improvement programs can also be utilized as a framework for identifying what checks are needed.  In addition to the development of specific, detailed quality checks, operational settings of the key equipment from the best quality and profitable run should be established and verified.  Continuous Improvement should be used ongoing to further improve the quality and operational metrics.

Here are some other ways it builds trust with customers:

• Transparency: Sharing information about sourcing, production, and safety measures.

• Consistency: Delivering the same food safe, high-quality products every time.

• Responsiveness: Addressing customer concerns and giving feedback promptly.  All customer complaints should be treated like gold and as an opportunity to improve the production of their products further.

• Specification Alignment/Product Color Visual Charts: creating these with the customer is important so that the required quality checks and visual targets are clearly established.  This will fully align the customer’s expectations with the facility.

• Product Cuttings: preparing the product using the same methods the customer utilizes and reviewing the product with the operations and quality teams from each production run can identify any differences toward the target product identified by the customer.

Team members play a vital role in the consistent production of high-quality products for customers.  Providing team member training and alignment with the customers’ products ensures that everyone understands what the customer expects.  Finding ways to connect the team with the customers’ products, such as rewarding them with customer-based meals or other customer logo items, are some ways to drive consistency and improvement to product quality.

Conducting regular inspections of the production of customer products with key leaders will not only show the team the company’s commitment to customers but can identify if the prescribed checks are being carried out for sustainable consistency.  A commitment to Customers will protect the business and establish key, long-term partnerships with your customers.