Ten Ways Your Church Can Provide Good Customer Service

There are many ways your church or ministry can provide good customer service.  Today, I want to list ten things for your consideration.  One of the ways I think about the church and customer service is what I look for in a business.  You may say, “but this is ministry” and that’s true; however, the people we deal with in ministry are accustomed to being treated a certain way.  Your members and visitors expect no less from their church than they receive from a local business or department store.

One of my favorite places to shop (when I have the money) is Nordstrom Department Store.  I don’t go to Nordstrom for great prices or convenient location.  When I want great prices and convenient location, I shop at Target or Walmart.  When I want a great shopping experience I go to Nordstrom because their customer service is second to none.  What Nordstrom does is make their customers feel special.  When people come to our churches, we should make them feel special too.

I already know that someone will wonder why ministries should adopt business concepts and practices.  The reason is simple – these business concepts and practices are based on biblical principles.  Unfortunately, the secular world often does a better job of being hospitable and providing excellent service than the church.

Let’s Look at 10 ways to Provide Good Customer Service

1. Staff members and ministry leaders should always be friendly, cordial and helpful.
2. Return phone calls within 24 hours.  Even if you don’t have a solution, call people back to let them know you received their call and you are working on an answer.
3. Expedite e-mail requests quickly.  The reason is the same as above, even if you don’t have a solution or answer, let people know you received their message.
4. Follow-up on prayer requests sent by e-mail or through your web sites prayer request form.  If the person requesting prayer left contact information, call or e-mail them to let them know that their request has been forwarded to your ministerial staff or intercessory prayer ministry.
5. Keep accurate giving records.  Nothing is more annoying that receiving your end of the year giving record and it is not accurate.  This is not about envelopes that were not filled out, this is about accurate data entries.
6. Keep parking spaces near the administrative office entrance for your members and visitors during office hours.
7. Offer visitors a beverage (water, coffee, soda or juice) during their office visit.
8. Keep your grounds neat and clean.  Lawns should be cut, shrubs trimmed and flower beds weeded.
9. Make sure bathrooms are neat, clean and well stocked with soap, paper towels and bathroom tissue.
10. Offer reading materials, easy listening or Christian music or television in your waiting area during office hours.  If you offer television you may want to make sure that the programming is not offensive.  Offer  CNN, TBN or video of your services.

If you would like more information about Nordstrom’s customer service read Eight Reasons Why Nordstrom Is A Customer Service Legend by Maria Palma.

Related Reading:

Do Visitors Leave Your Church With A Good Impression

Tweet This Post 

Tags: customer service, Hospitality