Customer Service Secrets for Business Success
Written by Abraham Roth on APR. 3th 2020
Customer Service Is Key
Traditional businesses have always supported strong customer service as the foundation for successful business relationships. Customer service of old however, is not the same as customer service today, especially as more consumers conduct business over the Web rather than in person. The Internet has not only changed the way we do business, but also changed the way we must interact with consumers.
Defining Today's Customer Relationships
Today's customer is more knowledge savvy than ever. To compete in today's modern market, you have to find new ways to meet the changing needs of highly educated and demanding customers. You must determine what their needs are and how you can best serve their needs in a global and virtual marketplace. Many people start a successful business only to fail in a few short years.
Sometimes this happens because they failed to establish strong bonds and relationships with their customers. Creating strong relationships with customers is challenging, especially when you conduct 99% of your business over the Net. This guide will help you avoid some of the more common customer service blunders people make by teaching you exactly what steps you should take to work with a modern, educated and diverse consumer or customer base.
In this guide, you'll learn what some of the more common mistakes first time business owners are making. You'll also learn indirect ways of generating traffic and attracting new customers to your site, and how to use customer service in a way that will make all your customers repeat customers.
You'll find when you follow the tips outlined in this unique special report, customers will come flocking to you with credit card in hand. We make it sound easy, but remember, it does take some work. You have to be willing to put some effort into customer service and satisfaction if you want your business to take off. That said, let's start by looking at some of the more common blunders business owners make when working with customers. We'll then talk about attracting customers by building a network of satisfied clients.
Common Customer Service Mistakes
We all make mistakes, but customer service mistakes can be costly. They can mean the difference between a successful and a failed business. If you try to conduct business online the same way you might offline, the chances are high you will make some serious customer service blunders. Fortunately, armed with knowledge, you can make smart choices when it comes to customer service.
How do you avoid some of the most common customer service mistakes? It's easy. Let's learn by looking at each of the common mistakes first time business owners make.
1. Mistake 1 - Not thanking the customer. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many first time business owners fail to thank their customers. Just because your customer shops online doesn't mean they don't need a thank you. Not saying thank you in some way (through a follow up email or note) is a bad way to conduct business.
This is very off-putting, especially when a customer has invested time and their hard earned money in your business. So, if you plan to succeed in business, the number one step you must remember is thanking your customers for their patronage.
2. Mistake 2 - Telling the customer you don't have what they need. If you tell a customer you can't help them, they'll never come back again. Sometimes there will be times when you don't have the exact product a customer needs. If this is the case, you should approach the situation by suggesting alternative products you have that may suit their needs, or by recommending another
reputable vendor you know can service them well.
This concept is along the lines of the story in the classic Miracle on 34th Street. The store Santa, on hearing a little girl's request, realizes his store doesn't sell the toy she wants. But he tells her mother she can get it at another store close by. The key here is making customers happy. While that customer may not buy from you that day, chances are high they WILL come back to you in the future because you have established trust.
3. Mistake 3 - Failure to build rapport. Customers want to feel welcomed when they visit your store, even if it is an online store. Provide your customers an "about us" page where you reveal your mission and values so your customers get a sense of who you are. The more familiar they are with you the more likely they are to buy from you. Just because you operate online doesn't mean you can't build rapport with your customers.
These are the top 3 errors you can make or avoid when conducting business with customers. Remember, while the customer may not be right all the time, it is important to respect them and provide them the information they need when they need it.
Indirect Advertising - Word Of Mouth Marketing
Another way to attract positive attention and expand your customer base is by word of mouth marketing. The better service you offer the more likely your customers are to share your business name with others.
Make sure when you create your business you use catchy slogans and an eye catching logo. Customers that are pleased with the services you offer will refer others to your site, and this in turn will help expand your business even further.
While you can't rely on word-of-mouth marketing alone to grow an online store, referrals do help boost business. Many people working in the service industry find they get at least 50% of their business through word of mouth referrals. You should also remember that just as positive news spreads from one person to the next, so too does negative news.
You should do everything possible to make sure that you leave a positive impression on the minds of your prospects and current customers. Here are some simple ways you can make a positive impression without much effort:
1. First, create a well designed website. You don't need a fancy or complicated website to attract attention. But, you do need one that is easy to navigate and one that provides essential and educational material to your target audience. Use complementary colors when possible, and make sure you have a navigation bar in an obvious yet non-obtrusive location on your site. This will
create more aesthetic appeal for your target audience.
2. Provide your customer's the opportunity to leave feedback. You can provide them anonymous feedback cards or ask them to fill out a survey. The best way to get a positive response from such efforts is to offer your customers something in return. Remember, they are doing you a favor by leaving feedback, so be sure you return the favor by offering them a discount or some other small
freebie to make it worth their while.
3. Tell customers what you are doing to respond to their needs. It is important customers know you will act on their suggestions. So, when you do receive feedback, post it and let customers know what you plan to do to improve the products and services you offer them.
4. Always greet each customer with a smile. Even if your business is run entirely online, you can offer a digital smile by stating your customers are your number one object of importance. You can write a customer service statement into your mission and values statement to reinforce this notion.
5. Respond to complaints promptly. A complaint doesn't have to turn sour. In fact, if you take action to correct a problem immediately, the chances are high that you will win the customer over for life. Customers want to know someone is readily available to address their complaints. So set up or create a system for dealing with all complaints within 48 hours. Doing so will improve the odds you will deliver top-notch customer service.
When you do all of these things and do them well, customers will start referring your business to others. Good customer service is hard to come by these days, especially in an age where most transactions are handled by computers. If you want to distinguish yourself from the competition, your first step should be ensuring you meet the needs of your customer. Then work on exceeding their expectations.
Once you start exceeding your customer's expectations, you are well on your way to victory. Customer after customer will tell others to check your business out because you have proven your trustworthiness and value. Now let's talk briefly about how to build the lifelong customer.
Building The Lifetime Customer
One of the biggest mistakes first time business owners make is seeing a customer as a single customer or purchase. If you look at every person that comes through your door as a one-time sale, you will fail.
The same is true of an Internet based business. You have to consider each customer's lifetime value, or the value the customer will add to your business over the lifetime of your relationship with him or her.
How to you build lifelong relationships? First, by establishing rapport with your customer. You should have a better understanding of how to do this by reading the section above. Once you build trust and loyalty among your customers, you must work on keeping in touch with them.
There are several ways you can do this. Most online businesses offer customers the opportunity to sign up for free newsletters or other reading material. In this material you can make announcements to customers when new products come in and encourage them to revisit your store.
You can send personalized emails to customers announcing new products or services you plan to offer they may benefit from. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating or improving the lifetime value of your customer. It's far better to have a few lifelong and loyal customers than two dozen customers that will only buy from you once during their life.
Let's say for example, you sell a pack of nails to a contractor. If you work to establish rapport and a strong customer service relationship with that customer, that $5 pack of nails may lead to a $50 purchase of painting buckets and $1,000 worth of painting supplies later down the line.
When evaluating a customer's worth, always consider the lifetime value of the customer. Consider the steps you can take to improve the customer's value over the course of your relationship. This is the single most important concept to bring away from this lesson. No one customer is a one time sale. Look at all customers with respect to how much you can sell to them over a lifetime.
Abraham Roth
Abraham Roth helps business owners and entrepreneurs grow their business online. He is an expert at helping people get clients using online methods and making things super simple to understand. If you're interested in scaling up and getting clients then definitely reach out and request a free strategy session today.
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