Posted by Meredith Estep on Wed, Apr 28, 2010 @ 08:35 AM
In the face of a global marketplace and a sluggish economy, how can a company gain a competitive edge without breaking the bank? This is a dilemma that plagues many different industries today, but the solution is fairly simple. Enhancing customer service is one of the most cost effective ways to build and expand a customer base and increase profits!
By rising to the top in your service skills, you can ride out current challenges and maintain a healthy bottom line. Consider these four reasons to focus on customer service as you are building your business.
Customers Mean Sales
It is amazing how many companies seem to forget that the customer is their bottom line. Meeting your customers' basic needs is not enough. You must be prepared to surpass your customers' expectations by anticipating needs and going the extra mile. You must keep a consistent inventory so the products your customers frequently want are always available. You should train your staff to handle customers' complaints adeptly, so even disgruntled customers will become satisfied once again and come back for more.
Word of Mouth is Cheap Advertising
There are plenty of ways to advertise your business today. You can take out ads on television or create a blog on the Internet. You can resort to mass mailings or email blasts to get the word out. All of these techniques work, but they also cost money.
The best value in your marketing dollar comes from word of mouth advertising. One happy customer tells another potential customer until business is booming.
Disgruntled Customers Hurt Business
You may never know that a customer was unhappy with the service they received from your business. However, others will know. Other potential customers hear about your employee that handles customers rudely, or a product that did not live up to its promises.
Word of mouth can be a powerful marketing tool, but negative words can also hurt a business. Do not let customers leave your place of business until you know they are fully satisfied with the goods and service they received from you.
Quality Service is Cheap
Indeed, you might need to invest in a training program to teach your employees the basics of exceptional customer service. You might need to spend a bit to encourage your employees to provide the best service they possibly can. You might even take a few dollars out of your marketing budget to draw up customer surveys or comment cards to get feedback from your customers. However, the value that comes from a reputation for spectacular service will pay you back tenfold with better customer retention, word of mouth referrals, and happier customers overall.
Your industry may be engulfed in fierce competition, but there are ways to rise above the rest. If you want to stand out from the crowd, invest in better customer service skills for your entire staff. You will never see a better value for your marketing dollar.
- Meredith Estep