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Let’s face it, customer service is dead! At least here in the UK as anyone will pretty much testify. We’re not sure when it happened exactly, but we’re pretty sure it was an evolutionary thing spanning a number of years.  

So these days it seems acceptable for companies to talk to people who spend money with them in a way, which pretty much borders on the aggressive. From surly sales assistants to callous call centre staff, customer service is at an all time low. 

In fact being dealt with respectfully has become such a rarity, it tends to come as a bit of a shock when it happens. 

But this contemporary phenomena is something you can use to your advantage. 

If you think about it in simple terms, if you’re treated badly by one firm, you’ll go to their competitor. If they treat you well, you’ll stick with them. 

With everyone looking to cut costs, service standards are bound to sink to even lower depths. So looking after your customers is more important now than ever. Not only will it help you retain the business you have, but it could also lead to a lot of referral business. 

Here’s why… 

Say Customer A goes to a restaurant. The food’s okay, but the service is atrocious. It takes ages for them to be served, staff seem to go out of their way to ignore them, when they do have their orders taken it’s in an abrupt way. Maybe there’s something wrong and the order gets mixed up. When Customer A raises the problem with the manager, the response is defensive. 

What are they going to do? 

To begin with they won’t go back to the restaurant. Then they’ll tell their nearest and dearest about how terrible the place is, which will lose the restaurant potential business. Over time the number of people Customer A will complain to about the restaurant will, according to research, average about 250. Each of those people could in turn tell a further 250. 

If the restaurant’s in a relatively small community, it could be finished. 

Meanwhile Customer B comes to your restaurant. The food’s good, but what he remembers is the respect, attention and courtesy of your staff. Maybe there’s a mix up with his order, but that doesn’t affect his opinion because the situation is resolved quickly and the restaurant accepts it was their fault. 

Now Customer B is going to go back to your restaurant again. And the more often he goes, the more comfortable he’ll get. You and your staff will recognise him and he’ll start to get treated like a VIP. And he’ll take other people with him. 

Plus he’ll become a walking, talking ad for your place. He’ll rave about the restaurant. And so will everyone else who goes there and gets looked after by you.  

Success will inevitably follow. 

You don’t need us to tell you how important taking care of your customers is. But maybe what you haven’t considered is how important this is, how much of a competitive edge it will give your business over your sour faced competitors. 

What you need to do though is think about the complete customer experience. It’s not just about smiling when you hand them your invoice. It’s about making every time they have contact with you – direct or indirect – a pleasant one.  

Which means everything you do from putting an ad in the local people, handling a call or an email, completing a sale, delivering the service and following up with your customer has to maintain the theme that your company is a pleasant, professional and reliable business. 

The easiest way to ensure your customers have a great experience, is to always ask yourself how would you like to be treated? Remember that, and you won’t go far wrong. Plus you’ll be coining it in while your competitors wonder why they aren’t getting any business.

Filed under: Top Tips, Sound Advice