Improving customer service in a downturn

McKinsey:

Consumer-facing businesses whose revenues are now under pressure may find themselves having to compromise on customer service--for example, by reducing their hours of operation or the number of service workers they employ. Not surprisingly, McKinsey research shows that customer satisfaction scores are falling in some industries. Yet most executives think that reducing service levels is a mistake. How can a business maintain them while reining in costs? Our review of the companies with the best customer service records in ten industries shows the wisdom of challenging long-held but seldom-reviewed beliefs about service and testing them analytically. Very often, they turn out to be wrong.