Are you losing sales because of poor customer service?
Examine these scenarios:
Scenario 1 – Offline
Bingo! You thought that you had found the product you needed, but you wanted a few questions answered first. Grabbing ten minutes out of your busy schedule, you called the customer service number listed by the company.
The Response: “Thank you for calling xyx company. Please press one for this, two for that and three, four, five, six …for the devil knows what.”
There goes 10-15 minutes of your time! Since you were already there, you thought that you might as well persist, so you pressed the number suggested.
The Response: “You have reached the Bla Bla Department. All our operators are currently busy. You are number xxx in the queue and your wait time is approximately 28 minutes.”
“Great!” you yelled at the machine. You really wanted the product so you set a timer for 20 minutes and made a cup of tea.
Back on the phone.
The Response: “Beep, beep!” You were disconnected from the line.
Result: How did you feel after all this? Could this company have just lost a life long customer worth thousands of dollars?
You bet!
Scenario 2:
Again you were a potential buyer, but you needed some clarity about the benefits of the product. You made the call. Fantastic! This time you actually got through without waiting around or pressing six different keys.
The Response: “Thank you for calling xyz company. I am sorry, but you have come through the wrong department. One moment and I will connect you to the right one.” Department 2 – “Why did they send you to this department?” an irate voice said. “You need the shipping department!”
And so it went. You were sent on a wild goose chase until when you thought that you were at the end of your tether a voice said, “Can I help you?”
The Response: “I am sorry, but we are out of stock for this product.”
Result: Were you a happy customer? No sir! Did this company lose a customer? Most likely.
Scenario 3: Online
The company had a good sales letter and what appeared to be a good product, but before you could be convinced to spend your hard earned money, you wanted to test the credibility of this company. So, you sent an e-mail with three questions to the company:
1. I am interested in spending US$200 to purchase one of your software programs, but I would like to talk to someone first. Could you please send me your business telephone number and the best time to call?
2. Please let me know how long this product has been on the market.
3. Please tell me. Who is the owner of this business.
The Response: Several days, one week, two weeks past, and there was no answer!
The Result: Another sale lost!
Top customer service is paramount to the continued growth of any business on or off the Internet. If you treat them right, they will stick around and give you repeat business, but treat them as if you don’t care and they will click pass your site or dash through the door. The worse part about this is that they will also tell others about the poor service that they receive.
Here are some suggestions to increase you customer service:
* Try and answer all important customer service related emails within 48 hours. If you cannot be at your computer, get someone else to do it for you.
* Send a special thank you note after each sale.
* If you use an auto responder, it shouldn’t be too obvious.
* Treat your customers with respect, but like a friend too.
* Show them that you genuinely care. So send them little treats like: Christmas cards, birthday cards, encouragement cards, thought of the week or month cards and motivational cards.
* Make the customer feel special by your manner and by the type of letter you write to them.
* Put the customer’s name in your letter’s salutation. So, instead of saying Hi or Dear Customer say Hi John or Dear John.
* If the customer needs a personal contact make yourself available by phone, fax or snail mail.
* Never, never, keep your customers or visitors waiting too long. This also applies to websites that take too long to load up.
* If a customer responds with an angry or disgruntled letter, do not respond with another of the same nature. This will only fan the flames.
The customer is always right (even when he is wrong).
SPPT! Serve them, pat them, pet them, treat them, and you will have them for life!
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