Customer Service, the key to success
Tips to improve your Customer Service
Let’s face it; customer service is not what it used to be. On a recent shopping trip to a well known store I asked an associate where I could find a particular item. His answer “I don’t know, this is not my department”. I found another associate, same answer. I asked if I could talk to someone in charge of the department and I was told (you won’t believe this) she was working in another department that day! By this time I was ready to leave the store without purchasing anything.
As I drove home I thought about my business and how we interact with our customers. I would be outraged if one of our customers was treated this way! Customer service is a vital component to any business, but online businesses have the unique challenge of providing quality service without the person to person experience that you would have in a brick and mortar store. Here are some tips on how to provide to the top notch customer service your customers deserve!
• Smile when you answer the phone, and continue to smile while talking to your customers. They can’t see you but that smile will come through in your tone and how you handle their questions/concerns.
• Put yourself in their shoes. How do you like to be treated when YOU are the customer?
• Reply to emails and phone messages as soon as you can. If you have a lot of competitors you can bet that you are not the only company this potential customer has contacted. Respond quickly and beat your competitors to the punch!
• It is okay to call your customers if there is a concern with their order. People appreciate a phone call – getting that personal attention makes them feel special. Just remember to watch your time zones; they won’t appreciate it if you call them at 5am!!
• And of course remember to THANK your customers. This may seem obvious but I can not tell you how many times I have purchased something, whether it be over the phone or in a store, and was never thanked!
Great customer service will pay off every time. Not only will you keep your customer coming back for more, they will tell all of their friends and your business will grow and grow! So SMILE!
1 Comment
Wes Grasty says:
Great points! The fundamentals of customer service are sometimes forgotten amongst all the other important things in a business, but yet it is one of the most important things to stay in business! Also, remember that if a customer gets bad service - they'll tell all their friends too.
