If you want
your business to succeed, you must focus your energies on your most
valuable asset—your customers. Sure, you need products or services
to make and sell in order to survive, but without customers you
will have no one to sell them to. The surprising thing is that it
doesn’t take a lot to keep those customers happy. Yes, you
must have quality products, convenient hours and locations, and
competitive prices, but your competitors probably have those, too.
What will set you apart is how you treat your customers.
You must provide
service so superior that your customers wouldn’t dream of doing
business with anyone else. Providing such service doesn’t have
to be complicated. In fact, if you can implement these eight strategies,
you’ll be well on the way to cultivating—and keeping—a
strong customer base.
1.
Recognize your customers.
A smile or a simple, “Hello” goes a long way in letting
customers know you welcome them and appreciate their business. In
most companies, 80 percent of their customers are repeat customers,
no matter what products or services they’re selling. There’s
no excuse for not recognizing them. Even if you’re working
in a call center and don’t have face-to-face contact with your
customers, you do have access to a database with information on
each customer. Use that information to make the customer feel welcomed
and valued. You might say, “Hello, Mr. Johnson. How is that
new furnace working for you?”
2.
Call customers by name.
There is no sweeter sound than that of your own name. It’s
the one thing we each own as individuals; it’s precious to
us. It’s also a sign of respect, particularly when you use
the customer’s last name.
3.
Smile. A warm smile is magic.
It’s welcoming and contagious. If you want to set the stage
for a good transaction, smile. Even when doing business by phone,
the customer at the other end of the line can hear the smile in
your voice and will react positively to it.
4.
Be quick. Speed is important.
Customers want what they want now. They don’t want to be put
on hold when calling. They don’t want to stand in long lines.
They don’t want to wait at the counter while you chat with
a coworker. Once they’ve made the decision to walk through
your doors and do business with you, they want you to react quickly
and efficiently in meeting their needs.
5.
Know what you’re selling.
Whether it’s a product or a service, it’s imperative that
you are knowledgeable about it and can convey that knowledge to
your customers and help them make informed buying decisions. You
must take it upon yourself to learn as much as possible about the
company’s products and services, even if that means after-hours
reading on your industry and the people and products involved in
it.
6.
Care.
Customers want to know that you care about them—and not just
their money. Communicate that you care about each customer by making
eye contact, listening to what they are saying, and responding with
concern to their complaints, and with answers to their questions.
7.
Perform.
Do what you say you will do. If you tell a customer you will deliver
a product by Tuesday, then do it. If you say you will call the customer
by 4 p.m., do it. It’s critical that you keep your promises.
8.
Use empowerment.
When a customer approaches you with a problem, deal with it quickly
and efficiently. Decide how best to satisfy that customer and then
do it. If you do, customers will gravitate to you and you will stand
out in your company.
John Tschohl
is an international service strategist and speaker. Described by
Time and Entrepreneur magazines as a customer service guru, he has
written several books on customer service, including e-Service,
Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service,
The Customer
is Boss, and Ca$hing In: Make More Money, Get a Promotion, Love
Your Job. John also has developed more than 26 customer service
training programs that have been distributed and presented throughout
the world. His bimonthly strategic newsletter is available online
at no charge. You can reach John at www.customer-service.com.
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