Having good customer service is vital to the success and longevity of your business. You might have the best product or service on the market, but if your customer service is poor, you’re in trouble.
Poor customer service means unhappy customers who not only won’t return but are not likely to recommend you to others and you may get negative online reviews.
Your customers (both current and potential) should be at the heart of everything you do. Good customer service can mean different things to different people, but in basic terms, good customer service should:
- Make it easy for the customer – no one wants to spend ages trying to find out how to reach you. Your website should be set out in a way that makes it easy for them to find the information they need to decide if you are the right company for them
- Make it about them – All of your messaging should put the customer in the centre. They want to know how you can solve their problems or needs, and how they will be positively impacted by purchasing your product or service. How will your product or service make them feel? How will it make their life easier? Make sure your messaging addresses all of this
- Be consistent – deliver the same message and level of service throughout the interaction with every customer, particularly if you have several team members at different touchpoints. Consistently delivering quality service will ensure returning customers and customers who are more likely to recommend you.
- Focus on listening – Listen to your customers’ needs, repeat it back to them so they know you’ve understood. Work with them to find a solution. They will feel valued and will appreciate you for taking the time to help them
- Be human – a script is a good tool to ensure consistency, but no one wants to feel like they’re talking to a robot, be human with your interactions
Take some time to review your customer journey with this exercise:
Create a flow chart to track all the interactions you have with your customers, from the initial messaging on your website, adverts and social media pages all the way through to the after-sale.
Once you’ve done this, review it with your team. Are there any areas that could be improved? Create a system that can be automated and create scripts and templates for customer interactions to ensure consistency.
Getting your team involved in this process enables them to understand the importance of the task, as well as share their ideas and have an input on the process of the customer journey. Encouraging team members to share their ideas and get involved in creating processes is vital for increasing engagement and morale, which in turn, will improve the customer service they provide.
