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Don’t Keep Customers Waiting

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Different people sitting in a waiting room of a hospitalWhere does customer service rank on your company’s list of important daily tasks that should never be overlooked?

While you would like to think that it is always a priority for most businesses, the truth is that is not always the case.

For whatever the reason, some companies simply drop the ball when it comes to providing consumers with solid customer service. As a result, some of those companies end up losing business, business that could have easily remained with them had they just been a little bit better about taking care of Mr. or Mrs. Public.

With that in mind, there are a number of steps you can take as a business owner to increase the chances of keeping customers happy, not to mention helping to promote your brand through their word-of-mouth efforts.

Solid Customer Service Equals Better Revenue

In order to keep your company’s customer service a step or two ahead of what the competition has to offer, make sure you:

  • Go that extra mile – Consumers expect satisfactory customer service, but what if you take it to another level? It is oftentimes the little things that set your brand apart from others, so go that extra mile for the customer. For example, maybe a customer purchased a product or service from you recently over the holidays. As an added incentive to keep them shopping with you, offer them a discount (maybe 10 to 20 percent off) on their next purchase with you. Given that many consumers probably had to watch their pennies over the holiday shopping season, a nice little reward for those who shopped with you last month could go far in making them come back to you this year and beyond;
  • On-time service matters – How many times have you gone in for a doctor’s appointment and waited and then waited some more? Yes, a doctor’s office is typically going to be busy, but that does not remove the frustration you have with being kept waiting for your appointment. The same holds true for businesses who have timed appointments with customers and also when customers are in line waiting to make a purchase. Whether you run a business office, a store, or even a salon, don’t keep your customers waiting. If you have a salon appointment book, try and stick to the times posted on it as much as possible. It just takes one unhappy customer to get the chatter going about how you can’t stay on top of times. When that happens, others (even if they’ve never been to your place of business) may think twice about doing business with you;
  • Avoid negative tones – Last but certainly not least; go out of your way to avoid customer service conflicts. Honestly, there will be times when you or one of your employees doesn’t meet a customer’s needs. When that happens, do everything possible to make amends, giving you a better chance of retaining that individual’s business. This is also true if you’re getting online feedback from customers. By all means, do not get into a tit-for-tat with customers on your social media pages. No matter how much you try, you will never win those battles. Worse yet, online comments are archived for all to see.

Providing consumers with solid customer service isn’t as tricky as it may seem.

Be responsive, reliable, and of course responsible when treating each of your customers.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Were you naughty or nice to your customers this year?

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As much of the nation enjoys Christmas and other cherished celebrations this month, many small business owners can’t help but think ahead to 2013.

With the clock winding down on this year, what are your business aspirations for the next 12 months. Simply put, how will you and your customers work together in 2013, making it the best relationship yet?

If you were the small business owner who maybe did not spend as much time as they should have coveting their customers these last 12 months, how will you improve upon that task going forward?

Among the things to review:

* Did you go that extra mile for your customers in 2012?

* Did your employees (where applicable) return customer calls promptly, answer any and all questions, and solve problems when necessary?

* Did you gain referrals from many of your customers because they appreciate the products and/or services you provide them? If not, do you think doing a little more for them may have helped you in gaining the trust of their family, friends and co-workers?

* Did you do the little things like send them a year-end holiday card or email?

These are but four of the items that you should be asking yourself, more importantly, answering without hesitation. Remember, without your customers, there is no small business to run.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions on a yearly basis, but how many truly keep them?

In a day and age when customers have a variety of shopping options, what will you do in 2013 to stand out from the competition?

Among the things to consider:

* Offering online shopping (if you do not already), delivery services (where applicable), mobile payments, and providing follow-up service with each and every customer;

* Utilizing social media to the max. If you are not currently using SM, why is that? You are essentially passing on free advertising when you are not social;

* Surveying customers from time to time on what they like about your business, what they do not like, and how you could improve things.

Lastly, use the coming year as the chance for a fresh start for both you and your small business.

In the event you could have done more for your customers over these last 12 months, make it your gift to them to make 2013 an even better year.

Photo credit: teamaltman.com

About the author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics for a variety of websites.

 

Has a CFD Experience Cost You Business?

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In 2007, I proposed an adventure on my blog. I invited bloggers to submit five bits of information that would promote their blogs:

  1. the name of the blog
  2. the blog url
  3. the tagline
  4. what makes the blog worth visiting
  5. one bit of advice for new bloggers

and I gave them 2 days to submit the information, clearly stating that the deadline was Friday noon Central and pointing out the clock in the sidebar of my blog.

How hard could it be to gather and email me those five bits of information?

Yet …
82% of the entries came in with information missing.

Which led Small Biz Survival Owner, Becky McCray, and I to describe a new syndrome — CFD: Can’t Follow Directions.

Is CFD Hurting Your Business?

In the case of that blog promotion, perhaps no one was hurt by the fact that if enough information was missing, I didn’t bother to hunt down the sender. That the entry wasn’t included might not have made a difference to their potential blog traffic. We’ll never know.

But I can tell you that it happens regularly that when I’m looking for help on a paying project, the presence of CFD makes a huge difference. Let me explain why …

  • CFD means that I can’t trust the work. I’m telling you what I need and how I need it delivered, if the business can’t follow directions, then I’m going to get back something other than I requested.
  • CFD means that things will take more time. When I have to repeat what I need, that second iteration means it takes twice as long to get the work done.
  • CFD means more cost. Guidelines and directions are meant to make the work easier, faster, and less costly. Whether something was missed because it wasn’t read or because it wasn’t understood, it adds up to corrections or adjustments. Corrections and adjustments cost time and money.
  • CFD means missed opportunities. What I might have been doing with the time it took to do things over is a huge hidden impact of CFD.

So I’m hugely biased toward people who listen, read directions, and ask questions if they don’t understand for certain what we’re trying to do together. They get my loyalty and my repeat business.

I run from people who show signs of CFD.
CFD not only hurts your business, but it hurts mine too.

Has a CFD experience cost you business?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!