Giving great customer service doesn't have to be made into a complicated, hard-to- understand ordeal for your employees. Here are five things that you can teach and remind your employees to do on a consistent basis that are easy to do and remember.
To do these few things will take you and your company beyond what most will consistently perform.
Treat all your customers like their special. No customer can expect you to remember their name on a consistent basis, especially if you are in a business that has hundreds of customers or more visit a day. But they sure do like to be acknowledged and treated like their important to you. This is one of the highest priorities for customer retention.
Speak with a polite, respectful voice. Many times employees will ask customers for information or what they mean without taking into account the way a customer is receiving what they are saying. Don't yell or bark out command-like orders which can be humiliating and disresectful.
Be thankful to and for your customers. This can only be done with honest appreciation and sincerity. I've managed in a number of different types of businesses and each one has a different way of saying and showing thanks. Whatever is appropriate for your type of business make sure that it is done persistently and consistantly.
How do your employees, and you, look? Research has proven beyond any doubt that close to 90% of customers do make a decision on your business based upon how you and your business look when they come through the doors. Don't underestimate this, again depending on what type of business you're in will determine the "look" needed.
Follow through on what you promise: what you say and when you'll do it. Probably the greatest frustration and reason for bringing their business elsewhere is when customers have promises you made not followed through on. The next biggest mistake is that if you aren't able to do it when you say it, make sure that you contact them ahead of time so that they can make plans to compensate for it.
These five things if really applied throughout your business will help you perform far above the great majority of your competition and bring great customer satisfaction and benefit to your business.
Sponsored link: The outsourcing every manager requires - Tampa Locksmith
Good solid comments, but they are only a small beginning for what really needs to be done. As a consultant in customer service I have found that concentrating on the niceties that really makes the difference. Yes, they are important, but to really provide support for high retention rates and customer loyalty one needs to create a customer centered ideology based on customer experience management.
Posted by: Tim Whelan | March 15, 2006 5:58 PM | Permalink to Comment