How to Give Great Customer Service

With the speed of social media, it is easier than ever for people to find out whether or not they want to hire your company or call your competition. Here are four tips on improving your customer service:

Keep the Promises You Make: Reliability is essential to any relationship. Companies that don’t do what they say rarely stay in business long; but sometimes meeting a commitment is just impossible. If you are reliant on another entity to deliver your product for example, add enough time to cover their potential delay. If your long distance courier has a problem it’s still your problem. If something does go wrong, be honest about it and just don’t let it happen again. Take all potential factors into consideration before you give any promise; nothing erodes consumer confidence more than a broken one.

Incorporate Feedback: Perhaps you send surveys out after a project is complete or you ask trusted clients to assess how your company handled a particular situation. Operating in a bubble will never allow your company the growth it requires to provide excellent products or services. Take the good and the back feedback and expand or develop your policies as you grow. If a disgruntled employee or client offers criticism,  consider the context but look deep enough to see if there’s any value in their critique; it could be invaluable.

Listen to Complaints and Handle Them: The worst thing you can do for an angry customer is nothing. Again, with social media being the go-to place for people to share their experiences, the last thing you want is someone complaining about how they were treated and how you did nothing to help them solve their problem.

Hire an Answering Service: Sure, considering the fact that we run an answering service company this tip may seem self-serving, but it’s also an important thing to think about for the sake of your business and customer service. When a client or potential client calls a company, they want answers. They need information right away and if they can’t get it from you, they will look elsewhere. If you are unavailable to take that call it could lead to a missed sales opportunity.

While there are some clients who will never be satisfied no matter the efforts expended, the company that does its best to manage expectations with honesty and integrity always wins in the end.