In order for you to be considered as a good entrepreneur, you need to reflect on what a usual customer wants and dislikes. And the best way to come up with the answers is to think about the last time you set foot inside another store to buy something. Did you have to wait for a quarter of an hour just to get the information you wanted? Perhaps the store clerk did not know exactly how the machine worked and you had to wait another 20 minutes for him to find a person who does? These negative buying experiences are testaments of how extremely necessary customer service is for any local business. It’s amazing how only a few, simple steps can improve customer support.
Commitment
It is not enough for the entrepreneur or the manager to feel strongly about customer service. The entire company has to be in it as well. Emphasize to your employees that the best way to serve your customers is to go the extra mile and give them an experience that is beyond their expectations.
Product Knowledge
Product knowledge is more important than what most people think. In-depth knowledge about the products the store carries will allow employees to earn the confidence and trust of the customers that they deal with. At the same time, employees should know about the company’s return guidelines as well. Make a list of questions which customers usually ask and help your employees come up with helpful and relevant answers.
Get to Know Your Customers
The best way to serve your customers is to know exactly what they want and what they dislike. In order to do this, take the time to talk to your customers. Ask for why they prefer brand A rather than brand B. Ask them about how they found they entire experience of working with your company or buying something from your store to be like. Listen to your customers even when they start complaining. This is the only way to know exactly what points you can improve on and what points you can capitalize in.
Respond to Your Customers
If you tell your customers that you will follow up on them tomorrow at 9:00 am then make sure that you do. Nobody likes to think that one has been forgotten. Always respond to customers when they email and do so promptly. And if possible make sure that when they call, that they get to speak to a person instead of a machine.
About the Author: Chris Marentis writes from experience about lead generation, closing the sale and leveraging social media. He is the founder and CEO for a local internet marketing company Surefire Social, a resource for local search marketing