Give unsurpassable customer service
By DANA DITTMAR
There have been tens of thousands of books written on how to market a business. Each book claims to have the foolproof method guaranteed to have customers running to your door. Some ideas are incredibly brilliant, but the fad will likely fade, and other strategies are complicated and not cost-effective.
I’ve found that the most successful marketing plans focus on one thing: unsurpassable customer service.
I’ll give you an example. Remember when you were a kid and asked Mom if you could have a candy bar. She said no. So you asked for something else. No. If you nagged long enough you sometimes got a “yes.” Customers appreciate the power of “yes.”
Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. And always, always do what you say you are going to do.
Another simple yet crucial customer service skill? Know how to apologize. No one — or company — is perfect all the time. Mistakes happen. When something goes wrong, apologize. It’s easy, and customers like it. They may not always be right, but they must always win. If you deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done, you make it simple for them to come to you with an issue. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
You know how excited you are when you get any type of a bonus item? It can be a free pack of gum or shampoo samples. It really doesn’t matter. Give more than expected. The key is to keep your customers happy, so think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. In other words, what can you give customers that they don’t get elsewhere?
This next tip will knock them off their rockers. Think about what you can do to follow-up, and thank people even when they don’t buy. Is there something you can give them that is totally unexpected? You sell pool supplies? Give them a free noodle — even if they don’t buy anything from you. They’ll remember, and come back.
The best marketing plans begin with feedback from your best and worst — customers. Here at the chamber, we often hear from our happy members. But I want to hear from the ones who don’t renew their memberships and don’t tell me why. What programs could we offer? How can we make more referrals to them? Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services. Listen carefully to what they say.
Then, most importantly, check back regularly to see how things are going. If you provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions, you’ll have loyal customers for years and years and years.
Marketing made easy — and you didn’t have to buy even one of those ten thousand books