Providing great customer service can help build your business through positive referrals. Regardless of how great any product or service is, a customer always remembers the interaction they had with a person, whether over the phone or in person. A happy customer will not only return, but will also recommend your business to other people.
Below are several Customer Service Tips that will help you to make and keep customers.
Smile and Be Friendly
As the saying goes, “Customer service starts with a smile.” This is true even over the phone – a smile can come through in your voice. Always have a warm, friendly greeting for your customers, whether in person or over the phone. This is their first impression of your company and you always want it to be positive. This seems like an obvious point, however it is easy to forget when you have had a long day, you’re tired or having to deal with an already difficult situation.
Listen to Your Customer
Listening to what your customer is saying is key. This means actually hearing what they are saying as well as their tone of voice. If you are face-to-face, be sure to watch their body language. Make sure when a customer agrees to something or says they are happy with the product, that they truly look and sound happy. Otherwise, they may be dissatisfied and scared to tell you. Always let your customers know that it’s okay to voice any concerns they have at any time.
Communicate in a Timely Manner and be True to Your Word
Communicating with your customers takes many forms, including being honest and responsive at all times. Nothing is worse than being told a price or timeline for something, and then getting a bill for a higher amount or having the product take twice as long. Always be respectful of your customer’s time and budget buy sticking to deadlines. If something does change, inform the customer immediately. If possible, provide a second option for completing the project as close to on time and within budget as possible.
Know Your Product/Service
To provide great customer service, everyone in the company that is customer-facing must know your products/service inside out. You can start by learning the answers to the most commonly asked questions.If you have a large company, create a Q&A document to ensure that everyone is giving consistent answers to your customers. If you don’t have the correct answer to a question, be honest with the customer and let them know you will find out for them. Make sure to respond to your customer quickly with the correctly information.
Train Yourself and/or Your Employees
This goes hand-in-hand with knowing your products. You must know how to use/install your products, as well as talk about them. This includes knowing how to problem solve in a rare situation where something goes wrong. Make sure to update everyone’s training as new products or techniques are introduced. You should always keep up with the “latest and greatest” in any business. You never want to fall behind on skills or new innovations. GarageCoatings.com offers one-day training sessions once per month.
Always Say Thank You
This should be obvious, but gratitude is memorable. Your customers will remember if you are appreciative of their business. It’s always a nice touch to check-in with your customer a week after you have completed their job. Ask your customer if they are happy with the outcome and if you can do anything else for them. Remember to thank them again for their business.
Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful tools in increasing sales for any business. A happy customer is a referring customer. Remember to always to look at ways to improve your customer service skills. Learn from what works or doesn’t work. It will have a direct impact on your business’ success.
