“It takes months to find a customer… Seconds to lose one.” Vince Lombardi
It may seem obvious. It may even seem like I’m teaching you to suck eggs. You’ve probably heard it before. It’s nothing new.
It’s all true…Yet do you do it? Do you think you offer a good customer service VS do you actually offer a good customer service? How many of us get stuck in the nitty-gritty and bogged down in the everyday grind and at times forget the importance of good customer service?
If you don’t offer good customer service the results will speak for themselves. Potential loss of profits and absolutely the loss of customers. Do you offer your customer a good service both online and offline? This is why it should be important to you:
1) It’s an extension of your brand
Treating your customer fairly and like they matter goes a long way especially by today’s standards. We all suffer from the ‘busyness disease’. But remember people want to feel like real people.
2) Put yourself in the customers shoes
Put yourself in your customers shoes: If you’re buying something and have a query or a problem with the service or product you want to know you can get in contact with someone and swiftly get a response.
If you don’t receive a good service what do you think? Will you reuse that service or product? Will you go through with the sale? Would you recommend it? Or would you look to go elsewhere?
The same principle and courtesy is expected from your buyers. They want to feel wanted and important.
3) It creates your brand
What do you want to be remembered for? If you offer poor after care or don’t respond to queries how do you think it might come across? Will you retain business, get repeat business or will you end up losing to your competitors?
It’s a safe bet to assume and know that offering a bad service won’t win you continued business. You may well sell once but it will be a quick route to a no go for any future sales.
4) A little effort goes a long way
A small and continued effort in offering a long-term, good and a reliable service will offer you longevity with clients. It aids your brand purpose. It showcases what you stand for. It shows that you care. That your customers matter.
5) Bad customer service can damage your business and how it is viewed
Bad customer service will damage your company reputation and that of your brand. Any reviews that are unsatisfactory and are online will need to be openly addressed as well as privately. Remember that even if a service issue is made offline it can still dent and tarnish your company if it is not addressed correctly.
Take time to ensure that you see the value in placing time and effort in correcting any problems and rectifying them as swiftly as you can manage.
6) Communicate and listen
Through any problems that may arise-good customer service companies ensure that they communicate well and listen. You don’t want any client or prospective to feel bulldozed or that they don’t matter to you.
In every niche, the market is always highly competitive and there is always someone else who can offer the same as you. Make sure you listen to any gripes and problems and put them right when you have the opportunity.
Always fulfil your promises, keep in contact and understand what has been said to you. If you can’t get something done in a certain time frame let your client or prospective know why you can’t. Let them know when you expect to be able to do it and keep them in the loop of communications.
Follow up after you have resolved issues. Are they happy? Is the problem rectified? Can you do anything else to help?
7) Impacts your bottom line
Ultimately if your service is poor it is likely going to impact your profits. People won’t return, they won’t recommend you and they certainly won’t stay with you. There is a whole host of competition offering similar services and at the click of a button your customer can go elsewhere. There won’t be any loyalty.
Don’t let that happen. If it is within your control to save business through good customer service then save the sale. People will appreciate the efforts and the lengths you will go to. It shows that you are more than just a money-making machine.
It shows you care.
8) Do your competitors offer a better service?
Know your competition. Always have your eyes and ears to the ground.
What do they offer that you don’t? Look at ways you can improve your service and make your business stand out. Knowing your buyers’ persona, what would make a difference to them? What are their pain points? How can you help to resolve them either in part or full?
9) Does your whole team offer good customer service?
Remember it comes from within. It starts at the core. Lead the way from the top down.
You need to have clear guidelines and structures that every single team member follows and ensure that you offer regular training to all team members to not only engage them as a whole and collective but to maintain company standards and ethos.
This can come in the form of in-house training and meetings, discussing what you stand for as a company and your code of practice and expectations. Or you can look to bring in outside help in the form of culture, leadership and development companies.
Many will offer varying packages to suit or even tailor make one to fit you and your company. They understand the value of offering a good service and the financial impact of that. They comprehend the value in your staff offering the best extension of you as a business.
10) Service sells
We all know how good we feel when we’ve received a good service. You want to go back, you want to recommend. Service absolutely sells. With the ability to leave reviews online you don’t want to be in a position where you are receiving negative reviews.
If, however you receive a review that is less than gleaming. This article sheds some advice on how best to handle the negative in particular when it comes to social media.
Additional links for further reading to gain a more detailed insight:
1) Stats and tips on the effect of good and bad customer service by Jitbit
2) How to offer good customer service by The Balance
3) How to deal with negative feedback
4) Creating a brand
Listen to your customers, take care of your customers and potential clients. Ensure every single team member breathes and believes the same mantra that you set to fulfil as a company and brand.
Richard Branson was quoted saying, “The key is to set realistic customer expectations and then not to just meet them but to exceed them preferably in unexpected and helpful ways.”
Through alignment of strategy and culture, plus careful implementation of creating and maintaining good customer service through your brand, you are sure to not only offer a company with a difference but a company that drives attractive profits too.
Thirsty to read and know more? Visit my site, follow me on Twitter @SimplyamberLou and connect with me on LinkedIn Amber L Smith.
You can also email me at Ambersmith@simplyamberlou.com, send me a message on LinkedIn at Amber L Smith or join me on Twitter @SimplyamberLou.
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