What is good customer service? In our opinion customer service is more than just help, it’s about giving customers a great experience. With knowledgeable employees that embrace change and set high expectations, we strive to deliver great experiences at every interaction with our customers. When considering the strategies that will shape the quality of service to your clientele, think about relationships, customer loyalty, and technology. Success in these areas will strengthen any service-oriented organization. Consider the following customer service tips:
Building Relationships
A significant aspect of building relationships comes down to your likeability. People will almost always remain committed to a brand if they believe they’ve developed a genuine and mutually beneficial relationship. Good customer service is all about building that relationship from the initial touchpoint so that you understand the full scope of your customer’s needs as it relates to your products and services. Once you understand the customers’ needs, it is imperative that you have knowledgeable employees that can properly explain the benefits of being your customer. As with any relationship, there are several factors that will make or break your relationship, such as communication, honesty, trustworthiness, and more. Excelling in these areas will reinforce a customer’s loyalty to your business.
Optimizing Customer Loyalty
It is important to acknowledge customers on a personal level because they are a company’s greatest asset. Understanding the dynamics of your customers’ needs allows you to better equip your customer service team so those needs are being met. Take time to gather feedback from your customers. Ask appropriate discovery questions about their needs. Help them understand that you are invested in your relationship with them. Implementing a platform where customers can provide feedback also helps build trust. It also helps you determine what does and doesn’t work from a customer’s perspective. It may even help guide you to add new products and services to your line up.
When customers trust your business and rely on it, it’s your responsibility to ensure your customers continue to have an exceptional experience (view as a quote). When a customer feels they have a good relationship with a business they tend to be repeat customers. Many businesses spend a lot of time and money to bring in new customers, but the same effort should be spent on maintaining existing customers. Clients that are loyal to your company bring in repeat business and even new business through referrals. At that point, your customers are not only a source of direct business but they also become advocates for your brand. Consider rewarding them for spreading the word on your great service through a referral program. Here’s a look at ours.
It’s your responsibility to ensure your customers continue to have an exceptional experience.
Technology as a Service Tool
Another good way to provide a great customer experience is by implementing simple and convenient technology that allows the customer to communicate with your business on their schedule. This is different from the platform for customer feedback, but it can go hand in hand. Online services can now guide customers through the numerous paths of information right up to check-out and beyond.
Chat is also an option that allows the customer to quickly interact with businesses while avoiding long hold times. Keep in mind that using technology can improve your customer interaction but maintaining a personal touch is what a business should strive for when considering these options.
Social media is another great way to have an additional touchpoint with customers. It gives the customer another opportunity to communicate with you. Chances are that customers already talk about your business on social platforms like Yelp, LinkedIn, Google, Instagram, and others. Why not use those channels to service your customers? Several companies like Nike, Xbox, UPS, and others have mastered social customer service on Twitter. You too can implement customer service on social media at a scale that works for your business. Here are 7 tips taken from an article in Forbes:
- Establish your processes.
- Respond quickly.
- Communicate using one handle.
- Generate genuine human connections.
- Own failed expectations.
- Monitor more than messages and mentions.
- Learn from what people are saying.
At the end of the day, stay relevant, be responsive, and always consider what is best for the customer.
By: Dave Jansen and Jim Trok, Directors of Customer Service at AIS
This year AIS celebrates 50 years in business and we’re sharing tips on our B2B series of articles. Explore our other articles on Marketing, Finance, Business Intelligence, Operations and more.
