Four Tips for Providing Great Customer Service
When you are looking for something that will set you apart from the rest, you’ll find that, as a small business, you’ll be able to see a great deal of return when you make terrific customer service one of your highest priorities. If you consider yourself a small business, this probably means that you have very few employees, and frequently this number is whittled down to one, that one being you. Rather than serving as a detriment, this can actually be quite a positive thing, due to the fact that you can control every aspect of the way that you treat your customers. Take a look at a few steps below for ensuring your customer service ranks with the best.
1. Give out discounts
If you have preferred customers, customers who have been with you since you started your business, make sure that you treat them well. They are what your company is based off of, and it is extremely advantageous to make sure that they keep coming back. Make a list of the customers that you consider your best clients and do something nice for them, whether you give them a discount on an order or you simply send them a gift with the next purchase. Word of mouth is still a great way to get business, so make sure that you treat your old customers right.
2. Handle complaints immediately
Unlike a larger company, you do not have to deal with bureaucracy, red tape and getting confirmations and okays. What this does mean, though is that you need to handle every compliant that comes down immediately, if not sooner! If someone is displeased with your service take some time to investigate. Figure out what happened, why, and think about what you can do to fix it. While the customer is not always right, you can rely on the fact that the customer’s good will is an important part of your business, so make sure the issue is resolved in a satisfactory manner.
3. Add a Personal Touch
Although as a small business, you can certainly do all of your work on the computer, why would you want to? Email and even chat can be very impersonal, so go for the personal touch and include an option for them to give you a call. You’ll find that making contact in a way that lets them hear your voice is a great way to make sure that they remember you especially if you can make sure that their experience is a positive one.
4. When You Say You Will Deliver – Deliver!
If at all possible, make sure that you hit your deadline. Being reliable is extremely important, especially for a small business that is so dependent on its good relationship with its customers and its good reputation. Never give deadlines that you are uncertain about making, and if you have to go over, give your customer as much notice as possible. If they have work that is counting your work for completion, they need to know sooner rather than later.
Did you know that 68% of people will quit doing business with companies that have poor customer service? Learn the keys to good customer service – get effective customer service tips at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Give-Great-Customer-Service
- Kale McClelland
