Customer service is critical to the success of your small business and your loyalty to your consumers. You may sell the best products and customers may knock on your door. , your success may be short-lived.
For a new company, reputation is everything and you need to start your business with a customer-first atmosphere. You can do that by reading and responding to reviews, allowing customers to reach you through different channels, and training your team to show empathy and put clients first. Here are some tactics:
Brand reputation is key
The first thing you need to improve is your brand reputation. When customers see your company as a trustworthy company that values their patronage, they are more likely to shop with you repeatedly and refer friends. Referrals are more important than you think. In fact, 65% of his corporate business comes from previous customers. If you put every customer first and show that you care, they will keep coming back.
A business with poor customer service can quickly suffer a bad reputation that is difficult to recover from.The problem is that we live in a digital world where customers can leave negative comments online. That’s it. The problem is that one review can sink an organization.
It’s important to prioritize reputation management. This is how we implement damage control to promote a positive image and limit bad reviews and criticism that can harm our company now and in the future. You can use software to scan the web for negative presses. Once you find it, use the information as a learning experience to improve your company. Reputation management also means shining your company in a positive light. You can do this by using SEO to rank positive press higher in search engine listings or by promoting your company through paid advertising.
talk to customers
Even if you master the art of reputation management, you can still get bad reviews and angry customers. Use it as an opportunity to improve.
Let’s start with social media. Your company should have a presence that you use to share information about new products, upcoming promotions, and other important news. Customers use social media to vent their frustrations I often comment on one of my posts about a bad experience. If so, please take this opportunity to correct the situation. Apologize, offer a solution and thank you for being a customer. In addition to satisfying that customer, other potential patrons may also see your post and decide it’s a company you’d like to use in the future.
Also, the company needs some communication channels so that customers can contact them in their preferred way. Phone and email should always be an option, but so is live chat. Put an option on your website so your customers can click to chat with a company representative to help with sales, service, or anything in between. It’s a great option for customers on the go and will appreciate the convenience.
After employees have helped a customer, they should be instructed to ask openly what the customer thinks of the service. If your customers love what your associates have done, post this positive review on your website. In the case of criticism, management can read the feedback and use it to shape future communications.
employee training
If you want your employees to provide the best possible service to your customers, you have to train them first. Teach basic skills from the first week of new hire orientation and return to those lessons for the rest of the training. You can do this by monitoring calls and chats and providing feedback that you can use in your next interaction.
Training is important, but so is hiring the best people and treating them right. Offer constructive criticism and annual reviews, and give praise for a job well done. When employees feel appreciated, their positivity is passed on to customers. Management can also allow employees to make split-second decisions if customers are upset. This could include extending the return period by another day or offering a small discount for future returns for the customer. By proving to your employees that you trust their judgment, they will take the necessary steps to make their customers happy.
Finally, employees should know how to show empathy. When a customer calls to complain, your team should instinctively apologize and see the problem through the customer’s eyes as they work to resolve it. An apology can go a long way and is the first step in building trust with a customer.
Sales are important, but prioritizing customer service is the best way to improve your small business and beat the competition. Considering these tactics and spending time training them will yield important results.
Indiana Lee, BOSS Contributor
