Thursday, March 28, 2013

How to Provide Great Customer Service

By Lori Buenavista


You've put in lots of time and a lot of money advertising and marketing your small business. Now the customers are pouring in. Are you caring for them? Besides the proven fact that it's just good business procedure to provide great customer service, it's beneficial financially as well. Research has shown that it is less expensive money to retain ongoing customers (and get referrals from them) than it does to obtain new customers. Listed below are 3 ways you can provide wonderful customer service.

Answer the phone, answer the email.

One of the biggest complaints of buyers is the absence of significance many companies place on communication. Beth recently wanted a brand new deck for her backyard, but was disappointed when she couldn't find a service provider to return her phone calls, "I called and left messages with four contractors who advertised that they specialized in building decks," she said, "None called me back. At last, after leaving 3 messages, I found somebody, but I was pretty worried that he'd be difficult to rely on, based on his lack of focus on my calls."

Building contractors often find communication with new clients challenging. After all, if they're successful, they're out in the field, carrying a sludge hammer or giving a quote. Getting a personal assistant to take telephone calls and arrange sessions definitely makes the difference: the buyer who talks to a live person on the telephone is a happy client who thinks her needs are being met.

Follow up after the deal.

Just after your contract with a buyer is finished, send him an e-mail, personal note, or give him a call. Ask how he felt about your merchandise, service and over-all experience. Request that he offer you sincere feedback, even if it's unfavorable.

You may be concerned that asking customers to give you comments after you've already completed working with them is just welcoming grievances. Rather than seeing feedback as frightening, consider it as a huge possibility to improve (and to win over your previous clients)!

A few customers aren't happy with a transaction, but they won't grumble. They also won't return again, or give you a recommendation. A customer who lets you know he wasn't happy is providing you with the probability to make it proper. Go out of your way to do so, and you've converted a soured customer into a life-time customer.

Take a look at every scenario from the customer's perspective.

Occasionally customers seem very demanding and irritating. Sometimes, the client is just a strenuous, irritating person. But most of the time, they're acting that way because they're concerned, frightened or stressed.

Try to put yourself in your customer's shoes. If he's getting in touch with you every ten minutes to get an update on his landscape designs, he might just be pressured about the wedding he's hosting for his daughter next month and wants every blossom to be fantastic.

When confronted with particularly difficult customers, don't hesitate to ask, "What do you want from me? What can I do to make this request easy and nice for you?"

Don't ever forget that your customers are the only cause you're in business. Offering great customer service keeps them pleased and returning for more.




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