How Important is Customer Service by Greg Manus, Richmond SCORE

 

A lot of time and effort is spent on selling products and services. But, one of the easiest and most effective ways of growing your small business is through referrals from your existing customers. In fact,  a focus on customer service is key to your long-term success. After experiencing extremely poor customer service from a firm that provides email marketer software, I realized how important it is to connect with your customers, respond to the customer's needs and address his or her concerns in a timely manner. The company in question not only lost our future business but they also lost a source of referrals while creating another source of dissatisfaction that is shared openly on the Internet about their company. Don't repeat this mistake; get a handle on customer service from the beginning and make it a priority for your company. Here are a few things to consider: Customer service starts by first taking the time to get to know your customers, his or her situation, vision, frustrations and goals. The best way to accomplish this? Communicate with your customers on a regular basis. Conduct surveys and ask for feedback on your invoices, blogs and websites. Make it easy for your customers to share their visions and goals. According to Tom Peters, the majority of customers (about 70%) move on to another company not because of price or product quality, but because they didn't like the human side of doing business with the provider of the product or service. Train "every employee" and hold "every employee" accountable for delivering world-class service. Listen to your customers and realize when they are complaining. And, don't take it personally. A customer complaint is a blessing in disguise. The customer is taking the time to help you improve your business instead of just moving on without providing feedback. Understand that you have an opportunity to create a customer for life by addressing a complaint. Also, you'll more than likely obtain referrals and positive reviews by engaging with your customer and making them part of the solution. Tell us about your experience with customer service management. Any suggestions? Greg Magnus, Richmond SCORE View more posts by Greg Magnus Follow me on Twitter – @gregmagnus, or check out my blog

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