60 Second Guide to Establishing Great Customer Service
Keep your customers loyal to you
Every once in awhile it pays to sit back and take stock of how you're
running your business. Is the accounting software still the best for the job?
Is the phone system meeting your needs? And most importantly, are you focusing
on your greatest asset of all: your customers? Sometimes we get so caught up in
the mechanics of doing business that we forget the reason we're in business in
the first place.
In just 60-seconds, you'll learn to establish a way to
keep your customers loyal to you.
- 0:60 Incorporate Customer Service into Your
Business Culture
Customer service should be as routine as paying your bills or ordering office
supplies. And it doesn't have to be elaborate to make an impression. Often it's
the small things that customers remember: a phone call returned on time, a card
to mark a special occasion, a thank you note or a gift.
- 0:46 Small Businesses Have a Customer Service
Advantage
An advantage of being a small business is that it's usually easier to
respond
quickly and personally to customer inquiries. Put yourself in your
customers' shoes. Ask yourself how you would like to be treated, and
then act accordingly.
Remember to be proactive toward your customers as well as reactive to
their concerns
and questions.
0:38 Communicate with Your Customers
Keep your customers apprised of the status of their accounts. If someone's
order is held up, let them know as soon as possible. If you promise to have a
job done by a certain date and there are glitches, tell your client right away
and let them know when you expect the issue will be resolved.
- 0:20 Respond to Customers Quickly
When dealing with customers or clients over the telephone, try not to put them
on hold for longer than a minute or two. If you expect to be tied up for longer
than that, take a message and respond as soon as possible. When you plan to
attend an important meeting or event with a client, call beforehand to remind
them of how they should prepare. After the meeting, check back with the client
to find out their impressions. The client will appreciate your concern, and you
will gain valuable feedback.
- 0:11 Let Customers Know You Appreciate their
Business
Thank customers for their business. If customers regularly visit your place of
business, make them feel welcome with coffee. Also, if customers are likely to
bring children to your store or office, keep a basket of toys handy. Harried
parents will appreciate the distraction, and are likely to stick around longer
if their children are occupied.
- 0:03 Ask Customers for Feedback
Finally, when you sit back and ask yourself how you're business is doing, be
sure to ask your customers as well. Send them postage-paid response cards or
make a questionnaire available in your place of business.
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