Better Communication for Small Business
When you are looking to becoming a great small business, you need to think about how you can capitalize the fact that you are different from what bigger businesses have to offer. Many small businesses decide to present themselves as being larger than they are, and this tends to be a mistake. You cannot offer the variety and some of the deals that a bigger business can offer, but what you can offer is great customer service that is very customized. If you are looking for a way to provide great customer service as a smaller business, there are a few things that you should think about and keep in mind.
The first thing to think about is how you have set it up so that your customers can talk to you. One frustrating thing that big business will do is make it hard to get in touch with them on a personal level; customers have to go through three or four layers of machines and emails before they get to talk to someone real. Make sure that you yourself are personally accessible on a regular basis. While an email is a great place to start, don’t let it end there.
When you are working with email, the response turnaround is expected to be very high, if not instantaneous. People are fairly immune to the positive effects of autoresponders at this point, so think about how often you can check your email. Check it at least twice a day, if not more, and make sure that you respond promptly and enthusiastically to anything that you find in there. Having a good response time for personal email is a good way to make sure that your reputation for customer service is high.
Similarly, put your phone number out there, and then answer it when it rings! Make sure that people are aware that this is a line that runs directly to you, and then prove it to them by responding to it in a prompt manner. Having a phone number out there for your customers is ideal because it allows them to immediately place you in their heads as a real person, something that can be a little difficult to do if all they are getting is email. A phone number helps them associate you and your voice with the work that is being done.
Last, but most certainly not least is to follow up with your customers. Give them a call in a few weeks and inquire how your product or service is performing. Be certain to ask if there’s anything else you can do for them; every customer appreciates this little bit of extra personalized service. This also lets you evaluate how your product or service is doing by your customers, and ensures that your customer will be left with a good impression of you, your company and your product.
Your ability to communicate is very important, especially if you are a small business, so take some time to really make it a part of your standard operating procedure!
Did you know? FACT: 68% of people will quit doing business with companies that have poor customer service. Find out how to give great customer service – get effective customer service tips at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Give-Great-Customer-Service
- Kale McClelland
