Customer Service Part 2

Have you ever heard the saying "You win customers One at a time and lose them a Thousand at a time?" ... Wow. That is so true. In an age where we are so much more connected to each other by technology, this concept is even more amplified.

When you have a satisfied or above satisfied customer, they may or may not tell their world & the whole world about their experience. On the flip side, if you have an unhappy customer or even worse, one that you make MAD... watch out. They will tell all their friends, family, co-workers, people at the grocery store, people on the subway, people online and anyone else who will listen. ARG!

So here is the point.. Every time a customer comes to your business, it is your moment to shine! Don't mess it up. Customers want and NEED to be treated like the most important people in the world.

Seems obvious right? One would think so but too many times, I have seen businesses who lose customers for small basic steps that they over look. Great companies and successful people keep their eye on the basics all the time. Bill Marriott would say "Keep it clean and keep it friendly, and everything will work out just fine."

Communication. A basic step is clear communication. Each and every employee should be able to communicate clearly with your customers; both verbally and written; Consistency and in a timely manner. That's it! Your staff need to be trained with all the information they need to be clear.

Thoughtfulness. Teach each and every in the company to treat customers with individual consideration. If you know about a customer's family, a customer's life circumstance, a customer's new venture... ask them how it is going. Everyone wants to feel connected in this world. If you can learn to take the time, pause and connect with customers, you have won.

Knowledge. Now this is a big one I already touched on... Make sure everyone in the company has the information they need to do their job and communicate with customers. Successful businesses challenge their employees through testing procedures and ongoing training. It improves employee performance and increases customer satisfaction .

So remember, customer service is a team sport. Not a front line responsibility, not a department. Customer service is the connective-ness in a company that makes it stronger, better and more successful than its competitors.