No matter how great your company's product or service is, if your customer service skills are lacking, it won't make much difference. This is especially true in today's economy, as struggling business owners need every possible advantage over their competition. Unfortunately, far too many business owners make the same mistakes over and over again, sending their customers into the arms of their competitors.
Here are simple but effective ways for small business owners to turn angry, frustrated, or dissatisfied customers into happy customers - who come back for more!
NOT TRAINING YOUR STAFF PROPERLY.
It does not matter whether you have two or two hundred employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service.
Customers and clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not taking the time to thoroughly train ALL employees - from the bottom to the top - is a major mistake made by too many small businesses.
TRYING TO WIN THE ARGUMENT WITH A CUSTOMER.
It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort and cost to gain one new customer than it does to maintain one current customer.
When it comes to succeeding as a small business owner, it really is true that "the customer is always right.". If you try to win an argument but lose a steady customer, you are punishing yourself and your business with lost revenue - and, very likely, ensuring bad reviews on sites like Yelp.
BEING INACCESSIBLE TO CUSTOMERS.
If you want to see repeat business, you need to be reachable by your customers. If people find it difficult to contact the customer service department or speak to a manager, they may not return.
Many businesses, especially online, try to maintain a distance from their customers, but this often backfires by sending people somewhere else where they'll get the one-on-one attention they are looking for.
Treat every customer interaction as an opportunity to build a personal relationship - this is one of the ways small businesses can shine where a huge, faceless corporation can't.
While the store clerk who is scared to lose his job can say "Sorry, that's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies to build positive customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have do to it for everyone," is one of the fastest ways to lose customers.
Make sure your small business has an efficient system in place to deal with customers. When someone calls your company for help, they expect a service representative to be the first or second person to whom they speak.
People do not like being passed from one person to another on the phone, or, if in a retail location, sent from one department to another. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.
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