Top Ten Questions Small Business Owners Ask
#9 How Can Small Business Owners Improve Their Customer Service
If you ask most small business owners what distinguishes their company from their competitors, they will most than likely say their customer service.
But if this is true, why do most small business stink at servicing customer especially after the purchase? This is because owners are so driven to get the sale, they don’t focus on servicing the customer after they buy.
This has had to change in recent years. Customers are now no longer focused on what they are buying (they can get that anywhere since most likely it’s a commodity), but the customer experience they have when dealing with your company. Customer experience is the new marketing and the only sustainable competitive edge for your business. Focus on it or your company will be in serious trouble.
It starts by understanding every step of the customer journey where you interact pre and post sales. Understand everything that can happen to the customer good and bad. Have processes in place to celebrate when things go right and fix them for the customer when they go wrong.
For team members to provide the best customer experience, each company needs to create a Customer Experience Manifesto. It is a series of goals and rules that every customer decision is filtered through when they are communicating.
This should include:
- We will deliver on what we promised (and not just pay you lip service to you).
- If you are dissatisfied, we will listen attentively to all your concerns (and not just ignore or avoid you).
- When things go wrong, we will be easy to reach (and not force you to serve time in voice mail jail).
- We will resolve your issues in a reasonable manner or give you a refund (We won’t take 30-60 days).
- We will honestly admit when we made a mistake (and we won’t avoid responsibility).
- We will empower our employees to solve your issue now (and not force you ask for a manager).
- We will make it easy to end our business relationship (and we won’t hide how you can cancel).
- We will not charge separate and surprise nuisance fees or surcharges (that make you mad!).
- When we decide to change something in our agreement, we will tell you far in advance (and not just have it appear as a surprise on your next invoice).
- We will not fill your inbox with marketing material you don’t want to see (and you can unsubscribe anytime you want).
Customers need to trust your company that you are delivering on your brand promise. This will be reflected in the reviews you receive online and read by prospects. While they will not always be positive, you can turn a dissatisfied customer around by being responsive.
When customers complain, they know that you always don’t have an immediate solution. A great customer experience starts with listening to them and showing empathy. Ask then what your company can do “to make it right”. Remember the customer is not always right, but they are the customer and need to be at least listened to each time.
Want to read the other top 9 questions small business owners ask?