Customer service is the most vital asset for Business
either it is online or offline. It”s the critical factor
which determines if your business has a future or not.
There are two vital components to every interaction you
have with a customer
1) The purchase or transaction 2) The relationship
In order to distinguish yourself among your competition,
providing just good service is not enough. The same do your
competitors. You must provide EXCELLENT service. That will
happen following these rules:
a) Solve your customer”s problems as fast as you can
without hassles.
b) Your employers should know their stuff and be well
trained.
c) Treat customers with respect, a quick response, and
appreciation
d) Authorize employees to provide as accurate information
as they can and make things happen for customers.
e) The customer should leave with a positive feeling.
One of the most serious problems corporations and small
business deal with customers is the defection effect. It is
the silent process where the customer takes his business
from you and start dealing with your competition. This
happens without yelling, showing disappointment for your
service up front.
That process applies to many industries and trade sections.
It”s an epidemic. The cure here is to do the best you can
in order the customer come back again and again. Most of
your profits will come from few large accounts ordering
continuously.
With these customers you should focus your efforts and
customer service. For example you could create a toll free
call line 24/7 for tiding your large firms you do business
with.
On the other hand, that does not mean that you should leave
your small clients “out in the cold”. Supporting them is
important too. Imagine what it would happen if a large
customer stops working with you? What do you think the
consequences for your company would be if you left your
small customers?
Of course it costs less keeping a customer, who makes
revenue by continual orders, than chasing and finding new
clients. It”s not a secret the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80%
of your profits will be produced from the 20% of your
clients. The rates of course are not absolute, it could be
98% to 2%. There are Real life examples for these rates.
After all, the most effective advertising in the business
world is the “word-of-mouth advertising.” It”s so effective
because the testimonials gains trust , which means the
happy client has no self-interest causes for proposing a
particular firm to his friend.
This can be accomplished if
you have provided exceptional service to your clients.
Another important factor of great customer service is that
it has to be countable. For example: ” You must answer the
phone fast” doesn”t mean anything . On the contrary : “You
must answer the phone sooner that the third ring” is an
accurate customer service rule.
Finally, one of the most
important leaps in customer service we can find in today”s
business world is the individual section mindset most of
the companies follow. That means the interactions between
the different sections of the company (Sales/Telemarketing,
Shipping, Technical support, Credit/Collections, Order
processing) do not function as a team but more often as
individual sectors of the firm.
The most discouraging
feeling for a customer is dealing with more departments
with lack of critical information between them and not
being able to find a solution to the problem.
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