A satisfied customer is one whose expectations have been met. To meet a customers expectations we must know what those expectations are, when, why, and how they are changed. With this knowledge we can design successful products and deliver service that creates lifetime customers. Traditional customer service fixes problems, straightens out procedural glitches, corrects errors of commission and omission, and provides information. It satisfies customer requests but doesn't necessarily create customer satisfaction.
Customer service is reactive.
Creating customer satisfaction is proactive. It recognizes that the product or service purchased is usually a tool for use in creating satisfaction. Every satisfied customer strengthens the perception of a difference that sets us apart from our competition. People make that difference. When each member of a company's team realizes that they make a difference, it becomes possible to satisfy customer expectations.