What do all successful companies have in common? From the smallest start-up to the largest corporation, what’s the common denominator for all profitable businesses? It’s not the product. It’s not the marketing. Every successful company was built on a foundation of good customer service. We’ve made a list of great customer service habits that can help you drive your business growth and will serve as examples of good customer service.
How valuable is good customer service?
According to a 2017 Customer Service Barometer report conducted by American Express, seven out of ten U.S. consumers said they’ve spent more money to do business with a company that delivers great service. As business owners know, it’s six to seven times more expensive to obtain a new customer than retain a current one.
Building relationships with your clients is one of the examples of good customer service
Great customer service starts with solid relationships. As the old salesman saying goes, “they’re not buying the product, they’re buying you.” Get to know your customers as much as possible. Make notes about their preferences, or even their personal information, like birthdays. You’d be amazed at how thoughtful it is for a customer to get a simple text message reading, “Happy Birthday!” The more you can engage with your clients and create a relationship, the more loyal a customer they become.
Quick response: the utmost sign of respect
There is one commodity in this world that cannot be bought or sold: time. Don’t waste your customer’s time by putting them on hold.
It is imperative to answer all customer calls as they come in or return all customer messages the same day you receive them. Since many customers prefer to communicate via text message, Keku now offers business text messaging, allowing you to send and receive both domestic and international SMS messages with the Keku app.
This allows you to stay on top of all queries from your clients and respond in a timely fashion. Your customers will appreciate this and will remember the fact that you respected their time.
Your Customers Are Talking About You…Are You Listening?
Make it a habit to check social media for hashtags that are associated with your industry. Check for posts in which your business is tagged. Put an email address of your customer support on your website, where your customers can send their concerns, and be sure to create a Toll-Free or Vanity Number for your customers to use. Vanity Numbers are phone numbers that are easy to remember or memorize, such as 1-888-CALL-4BIZ. This makes it easier for your customers to reach you. Keku provides Vanity Numbers, and Toll-Free numbers as well. Your customers will appreciate that there is no additional expense on their behalf to get in touch with you. Remember, always be there for your clients. Call, send an email or text, or post a response on social media to address concerns of your customers.
Word of Mouth: The Ultimate Payoff to Good Customer Service Habits
One unhappy customer can cause more damage to your brand’s reputation than most business owners imagine. But good customer service can turn that around in your favor because it creates excellent word of mouth. In 2016, Leadpages surveyed a thousand U.S. entrepreneurs and found that 49% agreed that word of mouth, along with referral from friends, is the most effective way to acquire new customers. This is why it’s so critical to listen to your customers and address their concerns. And remember, good word of mouth needs to be acknowledged, too. Always thank your customers for a good review or a positive social media post and reward your customers for their referrals.
Follow these examples of good customer service habits and watch your business grow!