If you have customers, you are in the customer service business. The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer base through delivering legendary customer service. Over 80 per cent of all sales in North America originate from the recommendations of satisfied customers. Dedicating yourself to excellent customer service is one of the smartest and most profitable things that you can ever do for your business.
1. Understand customer expectations
Do you know what’s important to your customers? Very successful salespeople are repeatedly referred to as friends and advisors by their customers. If you can explain the need, want or frustration better than the customer can, they will automatically assume you know how to solve the problem.
2. Exceed expectations
Disney calls this delivering a “WOW” experience. You want to be remembered, and it takes a lot for that to happen in the eyes of a customer. Expectations are high. Even if you are dealing with a complaint make it a “WOW” experience. Organizations are often remembered for how they deal with difficult situations more than how they perform on a daily basis. If you are not exceeding customer expectations then you are just like every other business out there.
3. Create customer service systems
Set out to create internal systems that enable the consistent delivery of legendary customer service. Create simple processes, policies and tools to support the delivery of your quality service standards. Processes should never be hassles; they should be designed to remove barriers to providing legendary service.
4. Make people happy to do business with you
People are predominantly emotional; we are greatly impacted by the warmth, friendliness, cheerfulness and helpfulness of others. Make sure ALL of your staff are capable of making a good first impression within the first 10 seconds of an interaction. It is very difficult to provide a legendary customer experience if YOU are not in a warm, friendly and personable mood.
5. Do everything to make it right
When you mess up – and you will – how you deal with it will define your business. When faced with an issue, own the issue and promptly do EVERYTHING in your power to make it right. WOW your customer with how you deal with issues and you’ll be forever remembered as an organization that cares. Remember, you are in business not for just this one sale but for the many more to come from that customer in the future.
Janet Bonaguro is a Certified Business Coach with FocalPoint Coaching. She works with business owners and executives in order to improve revenue, profitability, productivity and teamwork. For more information please visit her website; for more of her coaching tips see her Merchant Profile on LynnValleyLife.