There is such fierce competition out there... and believe it or not, one of the best ways to stand out these days is to offer great customer service. People like to feel important and taken care of. They want to trust you and know that if there is ever an issue you will take care of it. Sound about right?
How do you provide great customer service? Put yourself in the client’s shoes. I’m sure you buy products and services from others. How do you like to be treated? Do you prefer face-to-face contact, emails, handwritten notes, phone calls? I realize everyone is different and certain clients require a bit more service than others. So, read your clients and offer them the customer service they desire.
Here are some tips on providing great customer service:
Return phone calls within 24 hours.
You don’t want to miss out on a sale just because you didn’t return a phone call. When people need something, they usually need it yesterday, and especially if they are a new client, if you don’t get back to them promptly, they get impatient and will most likely seek answers elsewhere.
Return emails in a timely fashion.
These days I think people think that email is faster than leaving a phone message because people are tied to their computers and phones 24/7. Block out a few minutes every couple of hours to return emails.
Resolve issues as soon as possible.
Work with your client or prospective client and get the issue resolved soon. The quicker the better.
Follow up with prospects.
You may be surprised at the number of people who will do business with you if you just follow up with them. Everyone gets busy, pushing thoughts and to-dos to the backburner. However, if you contact prospects, email them, stay in front of them in whatever way possible, then you stay top of mind... and top of mind is good!
Let people know when you are out of the office.
Whenever you won't be accessible, make sure you change your voice mail message and your out-of-office reply on your email to reflect that. This way, if someone does contact you, they will already know that you are out of the office and you will get back to them when you return. This is much better than someone leaving you a message, and them thinking since you didn’t get back to them, you must not want to do business with them.
Check in with clients from time to time.
Send your clients an email or give them a phone call now and then just to check in with them to see if they are happy with your products/services and if there is anything else you can do for them.
Send your clients an e-newsletter or updates.
Send your clients important information you think they need or direct them to your social media for updates, sales, events, whatever it may be for your business, so they are always in the know.
Say thank you!
Either in person, mailed note card, or email. Be sure to always thank your clients for their business and let them know how much you appreciate them.
Ask for feedback.
We are constantly learning and growing and building a better business. Listen to what your clients and prospects have to say and ask for their opinions. How can you help them make their lives easier?
Listen and be polite!
At times you’ll have clients who are upset. Your job is to listen, understand their issue and try to help them. I know some clients can be more difficult than others, but we need to try to help them as much as we can while staying calm.
No matter how great your customer service is, you may not always be able to make everyone happy. So as much as I hate to write this, there are times when it’s better for you and your business to just let a client go. It shouldn’t happen very often at all, but at times, it may be necessary.
Practice good customer service skills and stay in front of people. You may be surprised at how much your business grows. If you don’t have time for the customer service because you are just too busy selling, then it’s worth the investment to get someone to help you. An assistant is an extension of your business and let’s face it—some people may do business with you just because of that assistant.
—Danae Branson
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