However, small business owners often overlook some of the benefits that a smaller scale provides them. One of the most important of these is their ability to offer better and more personal customer service than a large multinational corporation.
Realise that in this day and age, marketing is not about pushing, it’s about conversation. Your past and present clients are your biggest sales force, and when they are happy with your services they will shout about it from the mountaintops (or, you know, on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, coffee shops etc).
Keeping valued customers is a lot easier than attracting new ones which is why excellent customer service has to be placed right at the top of their agenda if you want your company to prosper. A repeat customer does not happen by accident. A repeat customer is the result a relationship you have built up through excellent customer service.
Why is Good Customer Service Essential?
Good customer service is an essential ingredient in retail because if a customer feels valued, they are more likely to not just stay with you but they will also recommend you to others and the importance of ‘word of mouth’ referrals should never be underestimated by any retail company when it comes to increasing your sales and customer base. In any walk of life, people react to the kind of treatment they receive so if you treat customers badly or show a total disregard for them, they are, at best, going to complain more and, at worst, will simply not bother to complain and take their business elsewhere. However, retail companies should not believe for one minute that this means just the loss of one customer. On the contrary, if a customer decides not to shop with you because your customer service is poor, you can be certain that they’ll also tell their family and friends who will also tell their family and friends and so forth. Therefore, the loss of one actual customer could actually be equated to the loss of, perhaps, several hundred potential customers in reality.
Good customer service can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. It’s also important to listen to what customers have to say about your company’s customer service and to consider any improvements they might suggest which the company may have overlooked. It’s also important to listen to any complaints as it’s often by these being made that a company can be made aware of a particular problem and can take steps to put that right before customers decide to desert them and shop with a competitor instead. In general, customers value the following when it comes to good sales and customer service practice:
The significance of good customer service can be shown in financial terms, as it costs at least five times as much to win a new customer as it does to keep a current one. Much of the profits of most businesses rely on repeat custom. So, your objective must be to provide the highest standard of Customer Care possible and to always aim for excellence. A customer who feels good doing business with you and through you, the company is more than likely to stay with you and recommend you to others.
Giving first is essential to your growth so put the client first every time, even if it costs you more now. The value of getting the customer in the first place must never ever be overlooked. Always try to answer any questions from your customers as soon as possible, this will create a feeling of professionalism immediately with your clients, so remember first impressions do count.
Customer Service is important. Without customers, there is no business! So tell us about the outstanding local companies offering great Customer Service HERE
