Small Business Customer Service Secrets | Simplifythis

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The secret to long-term success as a small business is excellent customer service. While small businesses might not be able to compete on some levels with their larger competitors, the customer service of these smaller businesses drives customer loyalty. Customers love to receive exemplary service; small businesses who choose to deliver excellent customer service will earn repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising.

Listen to the Customer
Employees must listen to their customers. Whether the customer is curious about a product or upset about the service he has received, employees must be trained to actively listen to the customer instead of reacting emotionally. Customers broadcast their needs and wants, even if they don?t always do so directly; an employee who has been trained to listen can pick out what these needs and wants are and better satisfy the customer.

Always Follow Through
Customers remember promises. If an employee makes a promise to a customer, that promise should be made a priority of the business. Managers should encourage their employees to follow through on any commitments quickly and thoroughly. Even if the original request cannot be fulfilled, the employee should make a good-faith effort to fulfill the request.

Customers should be informed about an inability to fulfill a promise promptly and sympathetically. While no one likes to be disappointed, customers appreciate being told about setbacks so that they can make other arrangements. Businesses that follow through on customer requests demonstrate respect for the customer?s time.

Deliver Service with a Smile
Customers respond to happy and cheerful employees. A smiling employee shows a customer that his business is valued and appreciated by the company. Grouchy employees signal that customers are unwanted and unwelcome.

The Relationship Does Not End with the Sale
Success in small business relies on cultivating productive relationships with customers. When appropriate, employees of small businesses should keep in touch with the customer and make sure that the customer is satisfied with his or her experience dealing with the business. Not only can businesses cultivate relationships by checking in with customers, they can also collect valuable feedback and improve their business practices.

Practice Saying Yes
Employees should be given the freedom to say yes to customer requests. Managers will need to train their employees to use this freedom wisely, but customers love it when a business listens to and grants an unusual request.

Lauryn Winterson is a professional writer that specializes in business and text analytics. For more information, visit Mindshare.

Additional Reading:

Customer Service 2.0

Coping When Your Company Gets a Bad Review

Source: http://www.simplifythis.com/blog/small-business/small-business-customer-service-secrets/

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