In an ideal business world, customers are appreciative, patient, and understanding. In the real world, this may be the stuff of dreams. Keeping customers happy brings them back to buy more, and gives them motivation to tell others to buy from you. In our world, we need to establish good customer service techniques and habits. In this article, I discuss what customer service means to the growing business and how to transform a snarling consumer into a beaming buyer.
The customer is always… ?
The old adage that "the customer is always right," is far too simple to be practical. What is far truer is "the customer is always in charge." Mrs. Smith is handing over the credit card, or signing her name to the check, so she has the final say in how you're handling the sale. So, whose job is to it help Mrs. Smith complete that transaction?
The term "the customer is always right" implies that one should treat each person who enters their store, or calls on the phone with respect and professionalism. This is far too obvious to comment on, except to say that customer service goes beyond a generous smile, and a quick answer. Below are some guidelines to keep in mind every time the little bell goes off as the store door opens.
Failed Expectations
Many customers are unsatisfied, because they expect one thing and receive another. Granted, we don't all have the most perfect products in the world, but if you tell a customer that product X will definitely pick up dirt off the floor, then it better!
Here's a real life example: Joe is a home-based accountant with some stiff competition. A friend-of-a-friend, William, happens to catch him at a dinner party, where he and Joe discuss some simple tax matters. Joe says something like, "William, if I was your accountant, I can get you a 20% better return on your taxes than your current accountant." So William gets Joe's help during tax season. Joe does a great job and does increase William's tax return by 15%. William is less than impressed, since that magical "20%" number was thrown around.
Let's change this around a bit. At the dinner party, Joe says to William, "of course, I can't make a guarantee, but I have a few ideas that should get you a better return." Less strong on the salesmanship but completely honest. So Joe is hired and gets a 15% return. William is ecstatic, because his expectations were based on a comparison of last year's return, not based on what Joe thinks he can get him.
So, be careful with what you guarantee, because you will be apologizing and refunding in the long run. In short, remember - "promise less than you can deliver -- and deliver more than you promised."
The Unhappies
It is bound to happen - the dissatisfied customer. For whatever reason, the person feels ripped-off, taken, or unhappy, and it's your job to change that feeling. There are many suggestions from experts on dealing with "The Unhappies," and here are a few to remember:
Always try to turn a negative into a positive. When a customer tells you that something is wrong, use it as an opportunity to show interest and provide attention. If the customer truly believes you have their best interest in mind, the sale won't necessarily be lost, and there's a good chance of keeping that customer for the future.
With an irate customer, don't feed into the anger. If you get angry back, it will only explode into a situation that could be much more damaging than losing a single sale. Try to calm them down, apologize for whatever happened (even if it wasn't your fault), and find a rational way to deal with the situation.
Don't just deal with the incident, consider the solution in terms of your business. It is possible that a policy you have is unreasonable and needs to be adjusted. For example, you may have a strict "no return policy" on items sold after 30 days. However, if a good customer returns on day 31, can an exception be made? Is it worth sticking to a strict rule if it will make a loyal customer seem less than special?
Do not minimize the complaint. Do not try to convince the person that the problem is "no big deal." If they perceive it as a major catastrophe then spend your energy on creating a solution, rather than blowing it off.
Speed in resolving the problem is crucial. If you delay or do it with any less attention than immediate, you will problem lose that customer. If this becomes symbolic of the way you handle complaints, then you will have a lot of trouble getting repeat business.
The Internet and Email
The newest form of commerce, electronic commerce, has a few twists and turns to customer service. It is the nature of dealing with instantaneous credit card processing and shopping carts. First of all, customers may buy something and have more questions after the purchase than before. Set up resources to help deal with such inquiries. Also, email is a mixed bag of worms in communication - it can be considered simple and non-intrusive, or distant and vague. Emails do not allow visual cues, so things can be misunderstood very easily. Also, email has been likened to the infamous Road Rage (a popular term describing the rage of car drivers in traffic); we will have the courage to say things in email that we wouldn't say in person. So, be very careful about dealing with customer service online. It is probably much more practical to call the person than respond with an email reply: first, it shows interest, and secondly, it is a quicker way to deal with it.
Customer service is one of the most important aspects of a business. Keeping a customer takes far less effort than attracting a new one, and a satisfied customers tells friends!
The customer is always… ?
The old adage that "the customer is always right," is far too simple to be practical. What is far truer is "the customer is always in charge." Mrs. Smith is handing over the credit card, or signing her name to the check, so she has the final say in how you're handling the sale. So, whose job is to it help Mrs. Smith complete that transaction?
The term "the customer is always right" implies that one should treat each person who enters their store, or calls on the phone with respect and professionalism. This is far too obvious to comment on, except to say that customer service goes beyond a generous smile, and a quick answer. Below are some guidelines to keep in mind every time the little bell goes off as the store door opens.
Failed Expectations
Many customers are unsatisfied, because they expect one thing and receive another. Granted, we don't all have the most perfect products in the world, but if you tell a customer that product X will definitely pick up dirt off the floor, then it better!
Here's a real life example: Joe is a home-based accountant with some stiff competition. A friend-of-a-friend, William, happens to catch him at a dinner party, where he and Joe discuss some simple tax matters. Joe says something like, "William, if I was your accountant, I can get you a 20% better return on your taxes than your current accountant." So William gets Joe's help during tax season. Joe does a great job and does increase William's tax return by 15%. William is less than impressed, since that magical "20%" number was thrown around.
Let's change this around a bit. At the dinner party, Joe says to William, "of course, I can't make a guarantee, but I have a few ideas that should get you a better return." Less strong on the salesmanship but completely honest. So Joe is hired and gets a 15% return. William is ecstatic, because his expectations were based on a comparison of last year's return, not based on what Joe thinks he can get him.
So, be careful with what you guarantee, because you will be apologizing and refunding in the long run. In short, remember - "promise less than you can deliver -- and deliver more than you promised."
The Unhappies
It is bound to happen - the dissatisfied customer. For whatever reason, the person feels ripped-off, taken, or unhappy, and it's your job to change that feeling. There are many suggestions from experts on dealing with "The Unhappies," and here are a few to remember:
Always try to turn a negative into a positive. When a customer tells you that something is wrong, use it as an opportunity to show interest and provide attention. If the customer truly believes you have their best interest in mind, the sale won't necessarily be lost, and there's a good chance of keeping that customer for the future.
With an irate customer, don't feed into the anger. If you get angry back, it will only explode into a situation that could be much more damaging than losing a single sale. Try to calm them down, apologize for whatever happened (even if it wasn't your fault), and find a rational way to deal with the situation.
Don't just deal with the incident, consider the solution in terms of your business. It is possible that a policy you have is unreasonable and needs to be adjusted. For example, you may have a strict "no return policy" on items sold after 30 days. However, if a good customer returns on day 31, can an exception be made? Is it worth sticking to a strict rule if it will make a loyal customer seem less than special?
Do not minimize the complaint. Do not try to convince the person that the problem is "no big deal." If they perceive it as a major catastrophe then spend your energy on creating a solution, rather than blowing it off.
Speed in resolving the problem is crucial. If you delay or do it with any less attention than immediate, you will problem lose that customer. If this becomes symbolic of the way you handle complaints, then you will have a lot of trouble getting repeat business.
The Internet and Email
The newest form of commerce, electronic commerce, has a few twists and turns to customer service. It is the nature of dealing with instantaneous credit card processing and shopping carts. First of all, customers may buy something and have more questions after the purchase than before. Set up resources to help deal with such inquiries. Also, email is a mixed bag of worms in communication - it can be considered simple and non-intrusive, or distant and vague. Emails do not allow visual cues, so things can be misunderstood very easily. Also, email has been likened to the infamous Road Rage (a popular term describing the rage of car drivers in traffic); we will have the courage to say things in email that we wouldn't say in person. So, be very careful about dealing with customer service online. It is probably much more practical to call the person than respond with an email reply: first, it shows interest, and secondly, it is a quicker way to deal with it.
Customer service is one of the most important aspects of a business. Keeping a customer takes far less effort than attracting a new one, and a satisfied customers tells friends!
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