#1 - Customer service has a lot to do with attitude.

When you walk in your office in the morning, tell yourself that you will have a positive attitude throughout the day. It will really show in your interactions with your customers that day.

There are many days when I am multitasking and overwhelmed when the phone rings. But before I pick up the phone I stop, take a deep breath and remember it may be one of my valued customers on the other end who except the utmost respect from me. On such occasions my cheerful and helpful voice always sets me in the right tone to be helpful to my customers.

#2 – Listen, Listen, Listen

Nothing will aggravate a customer more then if he is trying to explain an idea or concern and keeps getting interrupted. Customers want to be heard. Give them ample time to voice their ideas and after they have they will be looking to your for advice. Answer their questions thoroughly and to the point.

#3 – Answer the Phone

In today’s automated operator world nothing means more then actually getting a real person on the line. We all know there are specific times answering machines are a must but all in all taking time to pick up the phone to talk one on one with your customer will make for a very satisfied customer. If you have to turn on the answering machine while you are helping another customer, be certain you return those phone calls in a timely manner. Within a couple hours or at least in the same day is best.

If you’re a business owner and have hired a secretary or receptionist to answer your calls, take an hour out of every day or an afternoon a week to answer the phone yourself. The customers that call and actually get to talk to you will value that phone call more then you know. This formula will also give you the opportunity to re-connect with your customers…remember they are why you are in business after all.

In my business I still answer the phone and to the surprise of many of my customers. I constantly hear “I didn’t expect to get to talk to you”.

#4 – Email

I know for a fact nothing is more frustrating then sending an email and not getting a response for weeks. Even though email has replaced the constant need to pick up the phone it still requires the same respect. On the other hand I know that emails can sometimes be overwhelming and a never ending task. In our office we have set aside time in every day to specifically answer emails as if they where phone calls we need to return. We check and answer emails first thing in the morning, after lunch and then again right before we leave for the day. Following this practice our customers have learned that they can get a response from us usually in the same day and tell us of their appreciation daily. It also keeps our email box clean and up to date.

A customer that is confident that you will respond to their request in a timely and professionally manner will be a customer for life.

#5 – Problem Solving

Even though none of us likes the thought of an unhappy customer we all have to deal with one at some point in our business career. How you handle a situation when it arises will tell you if you will be able to save that business relationship or not.

Here are a few quick steps to follow:
1. Listen to your customer before you respond to their situation
2. Ask them how they see the problem being fixed
3. Offer solutions to rectify the conflict
4. Give them personal assurance that you will handle it
5. Provide them a clear plan of action
6. Offer them something free or discount on their next order
7. Be certain you appreciate them bringing their situation to your attention and that you value them as a customer

Are you finally ready for my keep your customer coming back secret?

In one statement it is “Always Under Promise and Over Deliver”. You may have heard this term referred to as Over Promise, Under Deliver but here in our office we have flipped the phrase and in doing so we have a 90% return customer rate.

Now just how do you apply that to your business let me give you some ideas:

• You know a new job will take about a week to complete. Instead of telling them you will have it done in a week tell them it will take two weeks and deliver it week early.
• You can check on an invoice in about 5 minutes, but tell the customer you will return their call in 10 but call back in 5.
• Back to emails…it is very rare that emails are answered the same day. Make a good impression and treat your emails like you treat your phone messages.

You get the idea now. Customers are constantly looking for a company that truly delivers on the promises it makes. Take it one step further…Under Promise and Over Deliver.

Author – Tracy Fredrychowski – SEO Instructor
Search Engine Academy of SC
Looking for local Search Engine Marketing and Optimization training in South Carolina? The Search Engine Academy of SC holds workshops in Greenville, Columbia and Charleston. Check and see when we will be bringing our 5 Day SEO Hands on Workshop to your area.
 

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