Six DO’s and DON’T’s of Customer Service

In a world where there are multiple businesses offering similar goods and services to like client groups, the act of customer service has become increasingly important for businesses to remain viable.

Customer service is defined as the service that customers receive from a business before, during and after a purchase.  If these three processes are properly handled; that business should inevitably see an increase in both repeat and referral business.

Repeat and referral business are both important to growing a business in an economy in which consumers are increasingly exerting their power.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

The following are some DOs and DON’Ts as it relates to customer service:

DO

-       Deliver what you promise – The quickest way to lose a customer is to not deliver what you have promised; and if for some reason you are unable to deliver, be honest!

-       Respect your customers – Customers feel good when they are treated well.  The way you conduct your business will elicit a positive or negative response.  Be polite!

-       Ask yourself “how would I feel if I were the customer”? – Think about how your customers will feel before you decide to make sudden or drastic changes to your business.  Frustration or a feeling of neglect will drive your customers in the direction of your competitors.  Remember, you are competing for a limited piece of the pie.

DON’T

-       Think of the customer as a just a transaction – While businesses are in business to make money, your primary goal should be to satisfy the customer.  A satisfied customer will yield profits for years to come.

-       Be afraid of feedback – Good or bad feedback can inform the decisions you make for the business.  Sometimes though customers can get a bit testy and blow the lid off what could be a simple fix; remain calm and find solutions to fix the problems as soon as possible.  Importantly, communicate with the customer every step of the way.

-       Excuse poor service; EVER! – It is never a customer’s fault that the business is overrun with excessive numbers of customers, orders or service inquiries at any given point in time… if it means employing temporary support or working beyond official closing hours to serve your customers, do it!  Nothing is more annoying than a customer who is forced to wait excessively long periods for a simple service.