All businesses want to think they provide great customer service. We all can agree repeat business is where the real profit is. Even if you sell a product you still have to communicate, manage, and sell to people….your customer. Want to improve customer satisfaction? Be sure you know the best ways to make great customer service happen!
On the reverse side, how much does a poor customer experience cost your company? Jerry Redding, Director of Product Development and Delivery of the CFI Group, a global leader in providing customer feedback, states, “In these days of “Social Customers”, the impact of a single bad customer experience can be felt much further, as that single customer (when he/she feels that your company is not addressing his/her issue) will often complain about your company on Twitter, Facebook and other Social Media sites, which spread the impact much further, much faster than ever before.”
Before we get to the 1-2-3 of customer satisfaction, you need to do a little preliminary work. This is important as every business is different and your clients have unique needs. The process itself will educate you.
Preliminary work:
- Ask your clients what good customer service looks like.
- Study complaints.
- Call in to your business as a customer; ever watch the TV show undercover boss?
Improve customer Satisfaction Now
While experts offer many ways to improve customer loyalty or satisfaction, here are three steps you can take right now:
- Improve the customer experience with your company.
- Starts with the first contact, your receptionist. Have you ever called a company to hear, “We are having a great day at the smith company, this is Kelly, how can I help you?” A positive first contact really does make a difference.
- Everyday Customer Interaction – Listen, repeat their concern, and confirm actions and solutions.
- Respond more quickly to emails.
- Get feedback daily.
- Keep in touch with the customer.
- Say thank you, and send a note once in a while
- Under promise and over deliver - Make sure expectations of service levels are established, published, and met consistently!
- Understand the relationship between employee satisfaction and client satisfaction.
- Employees must be trained to do their job.
- Employees need to be driven by loyalty and enthusiasm from their employer.
- Create a culture that encourages employee involvement in decisions and investment in the company.