Customer Service

Customer service is the attention or support you give your customers at any given time—not just when they have an issue. This also extends to before shoppers buy something or use your services and after they’ve bought something. It refers to whatever you’re doing to help consumers enjoy their customer experience with you. Fantastic customer service not only helps you to boost customer retention but in the long run, should help grow your business.

Traditionally, customer service was someone at the end of a phone. Today, it’s available to customers by email, SMS, live web chat, FAQ web pages, social media, etc. Customers can choose how they reach out to you and how they want to be contacted by your brand. It’s your responsibility to respond to these demands—and quickly.

It almost goes without saying that commitment to excellent customer service and going the extra mile should be part of your overall business strategy. So, if you’re not already, make this clear for all customers to see and experience. It may have been the case that companies used to only compete on price but now consumers also weigh up and compare businesses by the standard of their customer service.

Still unconvinced? Providing top-notch customer service is worth your while. After all, it’s cheaper to sell to existing customers than it is to acquire new ones. So, if you provide shoppers with excellent customer service and high-quality products, it stands to reason that they’ll come back again and again.

Tips to Give Outstanding Customer Service

With that in mind, the following are a few basic steps you can take to keep your customers happy.

• If a customer contacts you by phone and leaves a message, return the call within a reasonable timeframe. Remember the caller’s name and personalize the call by addressing them by name. Then, keep a record of the communication, including what was said.
• Better still, answer the phone when it rings! People want to talk to a real person, not an automated message. This is especially true for older consumers.
• Listen. Don’t interrupt your customers. Hear what they say, write it down if you have trouble remembering, and get the entire picture. This is hard to do when you have the know-how to provide an instant fix. But it’s essential that the customer who’s calling feels like they’re being heard.
• If a customer emails you about a problem or a question they have, reply! Many companies have an automated response that thanks customers for their email and gives some kind of timeframe for when the customer can expect to get a response. Many companies then email the customer again after they have actually responded to their query to ask them, “How did we do?” or “Was your question answered?” or “Rate your experience.” This is a super simple way of communicating to customers that their opinion matters.

Essentially, good customer service = clear communication. Period. Talk to your customers, respond to their queries, make them feel heard and valued, interact in the comments sections on social media, etc. Be friendly and professional.

The key takeaway here is to always try to exceed expectations and go the extra mile. Customers love it and they’ll notice the effort.