Last week, I really enjoyed writing about some of the things I find important in customer service. Assisting people really comes natural to me and I really feel like it is a strength of mine, so my next two blogs will stay on the same topic. Here are a few of the most important tips to care for customers:
Show Customers You Care
While customer appreciation is somewhat of a lost art, it offers a chance for you to remind customers that your business is worth buying from and that you plan to earn their loyalty. There are a lot of ways to thank your customers without spending a lot of money. In my eyes, a small gesture can go a long way for any business.
Letting your customers know you’re thinking of them not only makes them feel good, it also can encourage them to talk about their experience with your company. Word of mouth is still a major referral in this world and loyal customers tend to bring in more loyal customers. Here are a few ideas to show your customers that you care:
- Offer a surprise upgrade
- A simple letter thanking them for their loyalty
- Encourage your customers to provide you with feedback to grow your business
Invest in your service team
This is very important. I have left companies for the lack of support that was given to me and others within my department. Don’t think you can get by paying low wages, giving few benefits and doing minimal training for your employees. It will show. You must remember that the quality of your service will never surpass the quality of those providing the service.
If you want to out-support your competition, you should invest heavily in your team, tools and tactics to deliver. Another thing to note: Employees often take cues from management. Greet your employees enthusiastically each day. Be polite in your dealings with the team. Try to accommodate their requests. Listen to them when they speak. Consistent rude customer service is a reflection on poor management.
Making money isn’t as much in winning customers as in keeping customers. Each individual customer’s perception of your company will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.
Take Note of Customer Complaints
Nobody likes dealing with angry customers, but customers are willing to do business with you again if you can successfully resolve their issue the first time around.
When dealing with an unhappy customer, try to stay calm. If you keep your emotions under control, the customer will take note of this and begin to relax. You should look to control the situation at hand, acknowledge the problem that the customer is having, find out how the customer would like to have this issue resolved and then resolve the issue as fast as possible.
