Well I had hoped that this blog article would have been a geared towards "How to give good customer service" but in the last few minutes it appears that I shall start off with "How not to give good customer service".
In the current climate we all need to be very aware that a customer (large or small) is going to be paying you money for your service or product and is key to keeping your business afloat during these difficult times. So when you have a new potential customer you want to make sure that when they use your service or product that once complete they will come back time and time again. In essence a one off customer is good but a repeat customer is even better.
So here goes on what not to do:
1. Treat a customer with disrespect. There is nothing that will enrage a new customer (or even a current one if you’re brave enough to try and lose them) more than treating them as pond life!
2. Be rude. Don't assume that your customer knows the ins and outs of what you do. If they did they would not be coming to you at all!
3. Don't say one thing and then do something totally different. It will only cause hassle later down the line as I have just found out!
4. If you’re communicating by email make sure your 100% in what you are putting. Check and double check that your facts are correct because once you press send there is virtually nothing you can do to get it back.
5. With reference to point 4 don't be half hearted in your responses. If your email or correspondence leaves people making assumptions then it will just end in disaster.
Ok I suppose the five points above are biased towards what I have just had to endure but if you operate like this or you have staff that do from time to time you should really be asking yourself if you want the business from the customer.
Here is what you should try to do as a minimum.
1. Engage your customer on a more personal level. Whilst it is acceptable to address people Sir or Madam you will be surprised how much more relaxed a customer will be if you can get quickly onto first name bases. I would advise from the off to ask if this is ok and only a few minority of people will ever say no. I personally try to establish this very quickly as I can then gauge how to conduct the rest of the conversation. Also by doing so you make them comfortable that you’re treating them as an individual and not just a number!
2. Listen and pay attention. If you give your attention to your customer you can be surprised what kind of information you can to not only help you but increase your sales.
3. Take your time (well within reason anyway). This is especially important if you are dealing with the customer on the phone. Too many times a customer will switch off if you speak to quickly.
4. Take ownership. If you can comfortably deal with the customer with their enquiry then deal with it until the end. By doing so you build a stronger relationship which will come in useful for when you might have to be the bearer of bad news.
5. If you are to be the bearer of bad news is up front and honest about it. Ok this can be a very bitter pill to swallow but none the less get it done quickly.
Doing customer services correctly need not be rocket science nor expensive to deploy however we all see time and time again where it falls through for the simplest of reasons and the damage it can cause.
Finally. As mentioned above I did start the blog about how not to give good customer service. However whilst typing this I have received an apologetic email.
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