One of the most important tenets of customer service that a business owner must realize is that to keep customers happy, you will have to understand them as well as the way they think. One good example is the fact that customers tend to do business based on emotional desire. Customers also have a tendency to be attracted to a company or group that they like. They also have a strong desire to constantly do business with companies that they are already familiar with. They are also notorious for their slow changing buying habits – unless they are given a strong reason to immediately change their habits.
Your customers should be happy. Based on various surveys, customers who have been disappointed by customer service or even those that encountered a discourteous word in a business establishment will voice their dissatisfaction to 7 – 11 people.
One important thing to remember when it comes to serving customers is that you should not try to change them. Below are some specific steps that you can take so that you can gain benefits from excellent customer care:
Conduct your very own survey. Take advantage and learn from the ideas, suggestions and complaints that your present and former customers will give you. You can also try talking with your customers when they are in your establishment. Ask them questions and try to find out their wants and dislikes.
Check your employees’ telephone manners. From time to time, you should find out if your employees are maintaining proper telephone manners. This is particularly important for small businesses because bad telephone manners can have a detrimental effect on your efforts to build a profitable business. Always tell your staff that the telephone is not just a communication tool, it is also a powerful marketing tool.
It is important to maintain a cheerful attitude and a genuine desire to help customers. Tell your employees that they should always answer the telephone promptly. One good exercise is to ask someone whose voice is unfamiliar to call your establishment and play the role of a difficult customer. The feedback you can get here will be very valuable in improving customer satisfaction.
Customer service is a team effort. Always make an effort to build consumer consciousness all throughout the organization by using memos, posters, in-house publications and even group meetings. Always remind your staff that in order to get and keep customers, it will require teamwork. Involve your employees in the task of customer service by soliciting their ideas and then implementing those that can really complement your company’s customer service efforts.
Bring your customer efforts even outside of office hours. A friendly vibe can draw people to you and your business. You can take advantage of this by using social occasions or chats with friends and neighbors to turn these people from acquaintances or friends into customers. You can also use the opportunity to further strengthen your bond with existing customers. Remember that repeat business is the holy grail of business profitability.
Customer Satisfaction Resources
- Small Business Association – Article on customer service.
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