customerrvice

Iknowthisvergesonthekindofstatementthat'softenenonasampler,butproviding

rulywanttohavegoodcustomerrvice,all

youhavetodoinsurethatyourbusinessconsistentlydoesthethings:

1)Answeryourphone.

esurethat

someoneispickingupthephonewhensomeonecallsyourbusiness.(NoticeIsay"someone".

Peoplewhocallwanttotalktoaliveperson,notafake"recordedrobot".)Formoreon

answeringthephone,eHowtoAnswerthePhoneProperly.

2)Don'tmakepromisunlessyouwillkeepthem.

ilityisoneofthekeystoanygoodrelationship,

ay,“Yournewbedroomfurniturewillbe

deliveredonTuesday”,i,don'

sameruleappliestoclientappointments,deadlines,etc..Thinkbeforeyougiveanypromi

-becaunothingannoyscustomersmorethanabrokenone.

3)Listentoyourcustomers.

Isthereanythingmoreexasperatingthantellingsomeonewhatyouwantorwhatyour

problemisandthendiscoveringthatthatpersonhasn'tbeenpayingattentionandneedsto

haveitexplainedagain?Fromacustomer'spointofview,salespitchesand

rcustomertalkandshowhimthatyouarelisteningbymakingthe

appropriaterespons,suchassuggestinghowtosolvetheproblem.

4)Dealwithcomplaints.

Noonelikeshearingcomplaints,andmanyofushavedevelopedareflexshrug,saying,"You

can'tpleaallthepeopleallthetime".Maybenot,butifyougivethecomplaintyour

attention,youmaybeabletopleathisonepersonthisonetime-andpositionyour

businesstoreapthebenefitsofgoodcustomerrvice.

5)Behelpful-evenifthere'snoimmediateprofitinit.

TheotherdayIpoppedintoalocalwatchshopbecauIhadlostthesmallpiecethatclips

xplainedtheproblem,theproprietorsaidthat

dit,attachedittomywatchband–and

chargedmenothing!WheredoyouthinkI'llgowhenIneedanewwatchbandorevenanew

watch?AndhowmanypeopledoyouthinkI'vetoldthisstoryto?

6)Trainyourstaff(ifyouhaveany)tobealwayshelpful,courteous,and

knowledgeable.

themaboutgoodcustomerrviceand

whatitis(andisn't)regularly.(GoodCustomerService:HowtoHelpaCustomerexplainsthe

basicsofensuringpositivestaff-customerinteractions.)Mostimportantly,giveevery

memberofyourstaffenoughinformationandpowertomakethosmallcustomer-pleasing

decisions,soheneverhastosay,"Idon'tknow,butso-and-sowillbebackat..."

7)Taketheextrastep.

Forinstance,ifsomeonewalksintoyourstoreandasksyoutohelpthemfindsomething,

don'tjustsay,"It'sinAisle3".yet,waitandeifhe

hasquestionsaboutit,ertheextrastepmaybe,ifyouwantto

providegoodcustomerrvice,ynotsaysotoyou,butpeoplenoticewhen

peoplemakeanextraeffortandwilltellotherpeople.

8)Throwinsomethingextra.

Whetherit'sacouponforafuturediscount,additionalinformationonhowtoutheproduct,

oragenuinesmile,’t

alartframerthatweuattaches

thing,butsoappreciated.

Ifyouapplytheeightsimplerulesconsistently,yourbusinesswillbecomeknownforits

bestpart?Theironyofgoodcustomerrviceisthatover

timeitwillbringinmorenewcustomersthanpromotionsandpriceslashingeverdid!