AM’s new Customer Service Summit sees a host of experts take to the stage later this week providing delegates with the latest insights, trends and data on how customers expect their service to be delivered both today and in the years to come.

The first ever Customer Service Summit, which takes place on Thursday at Whittlebury Hall Hotel, in Northamptonshire, has been designed to help dealers develop a strategy which exceeds consumer expectations and includes guidance from experts and examples of how retailers in other sectors deliver customer care.

'Gamesmaker'

Keynote speaker is Linda Moir (pictured), who led the front-of-house event services team at the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Her remit included delivering a memorable customer experience to nine million spectators with a team of 15,000 volunteer ‘gamesmakers’ and she will also draw on her five years working as director of in-flight services for Virgin Atlantic where she was responsible for ensuring 5,000 cabin crew consistently met the company’s high standard of customer service.

Current customer expectations

The UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) from the Institute of Customer Service is the UK’s biggest barometer of customer service and its chief executive Jo Causon explores best practice in the nation’s most highly regarded companies and highlights the changing behaviour and expectations of customers.

Aftersales award winner

As the holders of a number of prestigious awards including AM’s Excellence in Aftersales 2015, Pebley Beach’s managing director Dom Threlfall provides a window into their business and explains how staff deliver the ‘wow’ factor to its customers.

Insight into future customer expectations

Catherine Hutt, principal consultant for automotive and transport at market researchers and consultants Frost and Sullivan, takes a glimpse into the future and explains how the consumer landscape will look in a few years’ time including how customer behaviour and expectations will evolve as well as the increasing role played by technology and digital.

Building effective teams: learning from the frontline's finest

Courtesy of conference sponsors service plan providers EMaC, Captain Gary Barrow who serves with the King’s Royal Hussars in the British Army, provides a fascinating insight into the military and how it develops its teams and leaders.

Becoming a top performer

Customer experience company MaritzCX’s vice president of automotive Andrew Grant explores how to take customer service to the highest levels.

Drawing on its CX Evolution study, Grant discusses how most CX (customer experience) strategies are focused on the middle stages of achieving the best customer care and how to become a top performer.

Customer service surveys - fit for purpose?

Finally, Jay Nagley, managing director of Redspy, asks whether current customer satisfaction surveys are fit for purpose and whether the sales model itself needs to evolve in order for automotive retailers to be in a position to deliver the very best in customer care.

AM editor Stephen Briers said: “The summit promises to deliver exactly what the sector needs in terms of insights and a wider understanding of customer service, its importance and development.

Dealers are operating in a highly competitive market and customer service is often the only differentiator. Consumers consult via online forums before making a decision on the company where they will buy their next car or have their car serviced. They are quick to provide others with their own views whilst being less likely than ever to be loyal to a brand or business.

“Delivering a service that’s truly exceptional for each customer every day of the week is an immense, if not impossible, task, but it’s something which dealers must continually strive to achieve.

"The conference has been geared up to help dealers create a customer-centric culture and put practices in place which resonate with today’s consumer.”

Event website

amcustomerservicesummit.am-online.com/

Tickets

Tickets are available to dealers and manufacturers, to book please visit amcustomerservicesummit.am-online.com/ or contact Emma-Louise Kinnaird on 01733 395133, email emma-louise.kinnaird@bauermedia.co.uk.

Venue

Whittlebury Hall Hotel, in Northamptonshire NN12 8QH