Customer Service Brings More Customers
TeleworkPH
Published: November 1, 2022
Good customer experience is everything. Over time, consumers may not remember your company solely by what they bought from you; however, they will certainly remember and associate you with how they were treated. They will always have a distinct memory of their customer experience with a brand.
According to a GoodFirms 2022 Survey reveals that “70.4% of respondents shifted to alternate brands due to poor customer care service of the existing brands.”
People tend to hold on to bad memories and bury the good ones. If a customer receives poor customer service, not only will they never do business with you again, but they will also inform their friends by leaving a negative review on platforms like Yelp, Google, or your social media page. Consequently, this can leave a permanent stain on what was once considered your company’s pristine reputation.
Don’t put yourself or your company at risk. Know what it will take to give the best customer experience and be aware of how customer service affects sales.
How To Pull Off an Amazing Customer Experience
Reputation is Key
As mentioned above, depending on what product you’re selling, whether it has a shelf life or it’s a permanent purchase, you want your customers to feel good about their purchase and the way they were treated. You want them to trust your organization if they need to come back for repairs, or if they need a complementary item, in which case, an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell is imminent.
Making your customers feel comfortable is the goal.
I remember a bad experience I once had at a supermarket when there were about six people working there who all ignored me for about five minutes while I stood in line and waited for someone to finally acknowledge me.
I couldn’t tell you which groceries I needed, but I’ll never forget the less-than-standard treatment I received and it was disappointing.
There was also a time when I had to call Amazon due to someone stealing my package off my own doorway. Without question or hesitation, they apologized for what happened, gave me an instant refund for the product I ordered and offered to send it to me again. At a time when I felt extremely violated, they managed to make me feel so much better about the situation. Just having another understanding human on the other end of the phone being empathetic about the incident will always make me associate Amazon with a good and effortless customer experience.
Reveal the Morale and Integrity of Your Business
The degree to which you’re a responsible business owner is directly reflected in how your employees treat customers. The amount of training they receive and the instilled mindset of a positive attitude and environment should be demonstrated as soon as customers walk in the door.
Customer service isn’t just a manifestation of the business, it’s an expression of ownership and the amount of time and money devoted to hiring smart, responsible, passionate employees. It’s not enough for the team to believe in the product; staff members must be invested in the company’s mission, which should be to always treat customers with respect and that the customer is always right.
Hire a team you can be proud of, that will uphold the reputation of the business even in your absence. And this is where Telework PH thrives the most. The best way to nip bad customer service in the bud is to properly train from day one and make it an ongoing process of constant improvement and growth, which will help the company thrive.
Prioritize Customers
It’s human nature to want to feel accepted, nurtured, and comfortable and that’s how your customers should feel when they walk away from your store or click away from your e-commerce website. They needed something, so you not only provided it for them but made them feel good about their purchase without the necessary pressure or disingenuous sales pitch.
After all, your business wouldn’t be where it is without customers, so show them how appreciated they are. If you start to see some repeat business, establish a customer loyalty program in the way of discounts, free shipping, or birthday perks. Little nuggets here and there in the way of a reward will offer incentives for customers to keep coming back knowing how well-regarded they are.
Retain Repeat Customers
While it’s always nice to welcome new customers and prospects, consumers who keep coming back will take some of the pressure off trying to attract new people, especially during the slow times.
Repeat customers will still come around, especially if they believe in your product and don’t want your business to fail. They’re your advocates, your brand ambassadors. When the going gets tough, and in an unstable economy when you never know what can happen, the appreciation you offer to your loyal customers will pay you back and keep your company afloat.
Gain More Referrals
The beauty behind having satisfied customers is they tend to spread the word. Having people refer their friends and family to your business is a built-in marketing strategy.
When your customers are treated fairly and you meet all of their needs, they’ll be more motivated to speak favorably and widely about your business.
Another thing that will work in your favor is positive customer reviews and ratings. Make a habit of displaying your customer satisfaction testimonials by quoting them on the homepage of your website or on the back of your business card. Exhibiting customer happiness and ratings is a great way to attract leads to show what your business is capable of for your client base.
Make Lives Easier
Good customer service also means always being accessible. On your website, make your business address and phone number as prominent as possible if you own a brick-and-mortar store.
Customers call your business and it’s necessary to put them on hold, don’t keep them waiting for too long, or give them the option to call back if things are too hectic.
Be transparent with them, they’ll appreciate that more than sitting on hold for 15 minutes feeling neglected.
Make it as easy as possible for customers to get in touch with you and learn about your business. Consider including a FAQ page on your website just in case one of their questions is more general, in which case, they wouldn’t have to bother calling.
Be the Better Option (if not the BEST) For Your Potential Customer
The worst-case scenario would be that your customer felt they were being treated less than aboveboard and took their business elsewhere. And not just anywhere, to your competition. Ouch! For every bad experience a customer has, there’s always another company out there that vows to do better, and will, staking claim on your potential clientele.
Don’t let this happen to you. You know there are competitors out there, the goal is to be better, always. Stay one step ahead, offer better discounts, and have systems in place to remedy a situation should things hit the fan.
Increase Customer Conversion Rates
Finally, good customer service will always increase the likelihood of making a sale. Pressuring customers to buy won’t get you anywhere. But keeping the human-to-human sentiment in mind will help people feel like they’re not just there to make you money.
Good people want to help each other out. If customers associate your startup with good customer service and recognize that you’re making an effort to make their experience as pleasant as possible, they will want to buy from you and help get the word out about your business.
At the end of the day, business is all about people helping other people succeed and flourish. It’s a virtuous cycle.
We Let You Call the Shots!
With the internet and globalization providing customers nearly limitless choices, power has shifted from businesses to consumers. Consequently, it’s the customers that are making the call now. This major shift in power has made it extremely tough for businesses to sustain differentiation on the base of price or product alone.
This has left businesses with the last resort to capitalize on distinguishable service and customer experiences, which adds more value to the product or service.
At Telework PH, we believe about creating impact in the business of our clients. We want to create happy and satisfying customer relationships. Allow us to help you meet the mark with a customer service that matches your brand.
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