Your Number One Asset: Customer Service
One surefire way to grow profits is to excel and master the art of customer service. Many companies are looking too far out for new clients and are not taking care of their current customer base. Here are my top 6 ways to ensure you are providing the best customer service possible to your customers and hopefully increase your profits.
Top 6 Ways to Shine in Customer Service
Responding Quickly to Customers
Acknowledging a customer’s inquiry in a timely manner is one of the easiest ways to show your customer that you care. Whether the inquiry came in from email, phone or help desk, you should attempt to respond back within an hour. Of course, this will depend on the amount of requests being made as well as the nature of some of the requests. Setting aside several time periods throughout the day to respond to customers can be very helpful. .Just think if you are taking more than an hour or even worse, several days to respond to your customers, you can costing yourself sales and a possible customer.
Be Polite
Customers like to be treated with respect. When they feel accepted and welcomed, your customers build trust in your brand and your message. Being courteous to your customers, no matter what the situation is, will help build the bridge of trust between you and the customer that make handling any inquiry or complaint a lot easier.
Stay Positive with Frustrating Customers
Part of being polite is keeping your cool in an annoying customer situation. Getting agitated with customers will only make the situation worse. Always deal with customers in a calm and composed manner. A positive attitude and using the current circumstance as a learning experience will help you deal better with a potentially frustrating customer. The customer may not be right in your eyes, but by losing your cool, you could lose a lot more – possible a customer!
Following Up with Promised Information
After responding to your customer and acknowledging the inquiry, the next step is to follow through with any information that you may have promised to the customer. The quickest way to create bad publicity for your company is to not follow through with your customers. Lack of communication toward your customers can definitely sink your ship fast.
Small Concessions Save Relationships
Giving in to something to please an unhappy customer sometimes is the one way to retain their business and not lose it forever. It’s not about giving it all away, but by making small concessions, you make the customer happy and feel a little more in control. Remember, that these little inexpensive things can go a lot further in strengthening your bottom line.
Escape the Dreaded Distractions
Avoid interruptions, while communicating with customers either on the phone or by email. Anything that may take your attention away from the customer can be seen as discourteous and unprofessional. When interacting with your customers, give them your complete attention. Making your customer feel important and accepted is the number goal so they continue to their business with you.
At the end of the day, customer service is about people interacting with people. Your customers only want to be heard as well as treated with respect. Using these six suggestions in your next customer service scenarios will definitely help your bottom line.
