Providing exceptional customer service is more important than ever. Word of mouth recommendations, while still important, are not the only source of business referrals. With social media and online review websites easily accessible to all and highly saturated business markets, it’s imperative that your business provides outstanding customer experience.
There’s no point simply paying lip service to customer service and not following this up with actions. A customer looking for a sofa that is available in two stores, will take a punt on the slightly more expensive option if the customer reviews are five stars.
When constructing your business plan, vision and company ethos, make sure you give customer service provision the emphasis that it deserves.
Greetings
The most simple aspect of customer service is how you converse with your audience. Social media has made it easier than ever to find a chattier and less formal tone to aid communication with your clientele. If you talk to your customers over the phone, consider employing the services of Ruby Receptionist if you don’t have the customer service skills in-house. This receptionist service can take on your company’s tone, provide information to your customers in a timely manner, and always have a courteous and professional tone.
Under Promise, Over Deliver
While it’s a nifty little hack, your business should follow a policy of under promising and over delivering. If you know that you can deliver a product in two working days, state that you can deliver it within three. This way, when the item arrives on your customer’s doorstep a day early, they will assume that you have gone the extra mile to provide an excellent customer experience.
Package your goods professionally, and add a little something into the packaging. While it may eat into your overheads a little, giving away a packet of retro sweets with your vintage typewriter or popping in a teething toy with the custom-made baby bibs you create by hand, will make your customer smile. As such, they are more likely to head onto well known online review sites and leave you glowing feedback.
Get Your Staff On Board
Good customer service begins in-house. You need to foster an environment of respect and friendliness within the workplace. Staff teams that are tense and antagonistic will not provide an exceptional experience for your customers. Carry out training every year to explore the sorts of initiatives you can employ as a business to help your customers receive the best care from you.
Any complaints that do crop up need to be dealt with swiftly, and you must communicate with your customer at all times. It’s ok to say sorry and work towards a solution that leaves both you and your customer satisfied.
Make sure that you endeavour to give customer service the focus it deserves to ensure that your business maintains a positive reputation and can compete with its rivals.
