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Does Your Customer Service Suck?
As a customer, I know what it's like to be on the customers side
of the counter. You want to turn over your hard earned money for
goods or services. You are then confronted with attitude,
rudeness and utter disregard for just how hard you have worked
for your dollar. Either the service is slow and the quality of
the goods are poor, or worse the company you are patronizing
rigidly enforces poor policies for handling customer issues.
As a business owner I realize the cost of poor service. Poor
service decreases impulse purchases, leads to a reduction in
repeat business, causes lack of referrals and negatively impacts
customer relationships. When you are trying to build a business
in a competitive market each of these are critical to your
success. In an environment where customers have a dozen or more
purchase options it is imperative that great care be taken to
build your business.
How are you doing at building your business with customer
service? Consider how you would handle the following customer
interactions:
(1) A customer purchased a $10 item and now wants to return it.
Your policy is no refunds. This a customer who has shopped your
establishment many times. Do you return the item or enforce the
policy? If you must, gently remind the customer of your policy,
but you should absolutely refund or exchange the product to the
customers satisfaction.
(2) When customers enter you business are they greeted warmly or
ignored? At the very least do you make eye contact and smile? A
warm and hearty "Hello" will fit almost any environment. Do this
with each customer. A smile would be the icing on the cake.
(3) Do your employees say "Thank You" and smile after each
customer purchase? Or do they simply hand the customer their
bagged item and say "next." Thank You ... Its just two little
words, and only eight characters long. Just say it. It goes a
long way to build goodwill and customer relationships. It gives
the perception that you are nice and friendly. Don't forget to
smile.
(4) During customer interactions are you on the phone or talking
with other employees? Or are you focused 100% on the customer?
It is downright rude to be doing ANYTHING, other than focusing
on your customer, during a transaction.
(5) A Customer comes into your establishment and is there
incessantly reading product labels.
Do you leave the customer
there to fend for themselves or do you offer the customer your
expert opinion on the products you offer. More often than not
the customer will be left alone. Go help them. If they want to
be left alone let them tell you so.
What do you think customers do when they encounter great
customer service? They become advocates for you and help to
build your business by referring others. They become loyal to
you, completing like purchases exclusively at your
establishment. Fantastic service is what makes customers want to
shop with you despite a higher price or the inconvenience of
distance. Even if you are providing a lesser quality product or
service, fantastic customer service can help you compensate for
it. It gives you an incredible, low cost competitive advantage.
To improve your customer's experience, start by changing
yourself. Change your attitude when handling customer issues. Be
friendly and liberal versus stern when implementing policy. This
may require you to convince yourself that you can afford great
service. Do the math and discover that it will cost you less to
take care of that customer now and build a life long patron. Set
the example by regularly chatting with customers and
enthusiastically pitching in to solve hard problems.
Next challenge your employees by asking them to step up their
game. Catch them providing great service and provide some simple
verbal recognition. Constantly bring up and talk about how
important it is to set yourself apart with great service. Create
a bulletin board in your employee only area, and post positive
comments from customers - if a customer verbally tells you
something great, type it up and post it on the board. For
employees that just don't get it try to understand why and help
them with some training, coaching and counseling.
Starting with your next customer begin building that essential
customer service foundation. Offer a friendly smile, a warm
greeting, and a caring attitude. Engage in aimless small talk,
genuinely go the extra mile and try to truly understand the
other person.
About the author:
Darryl Gee has 18 years of sales and management expertise. If
you need assistance improving your customer service you can
contact him via email at dagee@madmanager.com. He shares his
expertise on his website http://www.madmanager.com
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