No matter what type of business you run, quality customer service plays an integral role in building the consumer trust that leads to increased revenue and the overall growth of your business. Think about the last time you had a negative customer service experience with another company. It most likely left a bad taste in your mouth and may have led you to cease using that company’s product. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the primary aspects of providing excellent customer service for the benefit of your business.
The Customer Is Always Right
There is a good reason that the phrase “the customer is always right” has been used often enough to become almost cliché, because it is true. While dealing with an unruly customer can be a grueling, time wasting experience, handling the situation with professionalism and respect can turn the scenario around, leaving the customer with positive sentiment for your business. And this can potentially lead to that customer spreading the word, gaining you new business. Equally important, it can help prevent that customer from posting a negative review or badmouthing your brand to his associates. Unfortunately, one negative review has a stronger impact on brand perception than multiple positive reviews. The half hour put into turning a potential disaster into a happy customer experience can save you the hours or days it will take to rebuild the trusting relationships you’ve had with your clients.
Quality Customer Service From Top to Bottom
If you run a business with multiple employees, it is imperative you make sure that your employees treat customers with the same respect and understanding you treat them with. Lead by example, showing your team that they are not the only ones putting in the effort it takes to achieve customer satisfaction. One of the best ways to help ensure your employees demonstrate excellent customer service skills is by hiring employees with people skills. During the interview process, consider running potential hires through scenarios in which they would be dealing directly with customers and take note of how they react. Developing a clear set of customer service guidelines for your employees to follow can also be beneficial.
Listen to Your Customers
After someone does business with you, offer them an easy way to provide you with feedback on their experience. What did they like? What could have been better? Once you have received a decent amount of customer feedback, you will probably notice that specific items show up consistently.
Positive Feedback
When receiving positive feedback, do not simply toss it aside, thinking, “My customer service is perfect! Nothing needs to change.” Instead, use that positive feedback to analyze what customers’ like best about doing business with you. Then let your team know what they should do to achieve similar results.
Negative Feedback
No one enjoys being criticized. But learning from your mistakes is the only way your business is going to be able to thrive in the future. Developing ways to bolster positive sentiment while minimizing negative customer experiences is crucial to helping you achieve the goals you have set for your business.
