Customer Service – Be Better

You just bought a 52” HD flat screen television. Fifteen minutes into the game, the screen goes dark and you can’t get it to turn back on. You call customer service only to find out that your warranty ended the minute you left the store and because you didn’t buy the extended warranty coverage, it will cost you an arm and a leg to fix it. They won’t replace the television, even though you have your receipt, insisting that you did not have the television properly installed because you did it yourself.

When it comes to serving your clients, do you come across like the place that once the customer has paid, they are no longer your concern? People are tired of getting what seems like a great deal until there’s a problem. Suddenly, there is nobody around willing to help, leaving the customer frustrated, angry and spreading the word not to use your business and why.

In today’s economic times, treating clients and customers with respect and decency is what will keep them coming back time and again. I think that this woman says it best in this short clip.

Here are a few things that can go a long way in keeping current clients and bringing in new ones.

Return phone calls and e-mails in a timely fashion.

Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you are being ignored. Make it a point to return calls and e-mails within 24 hours of when you receive them. Even if you don’t have the answer to the client’s question, at least let him or her know you are working on it. There may be times when it’s not possible to follow up within a day, and that’s alright. If it’s the exception and not the rule, clients are likely to be understanding.

Under promise and over deliver.

You may have heard this phrase before, but there is a lot of truth to it. Clients love being amazed by what you can pull off, especially when it takes their projects, events, whatever to the next level. Know what you can reasonably do and if you are able to do more within the scope of budget and time, and go for it!

Be a problem solver.

When you are working on an event or project for a client, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Before you pick up the phone to call them, do you have a viable solution to offer? Your client is depending on you to have answers to problems when they arise. If you are only calling to tell them what’s gone wrong with no solution, your client may not be your client for long.

Your business is probably not the only company doing what you do. Keep your customer service expectations high and you will keep clients coming back for your services.