Keys To Good Customer Service: How To Make Your Customers Buy From You More Often

Identifying the keys to good customer service is the secret ingredient to a successful business venture. Here’s why. Let’s say there are two grocery stores on both ends of the street. Both carry the same items or inventories. Both stores are clean. Yet, one store seems to enjoy more patronage. More smiling customers go through the door of the other store. What makes the other business venture thrive? The other store knows the keys to good customer service, making their profits jump from single to double digits. When you enter this store, you are greeted with warm smiles and friendly greetings from the storeowner and his staff. When they see you reaching up for items for the top shelf, they rush to assist you. When you wonder where an item is, they accompany you to the particular aisle. These small things make a business venture thrive. For a business owner, applying the keys to good customer service will lead to more “ka-ching ka-ching” for his business! With an economic downturn, most businesses look for ways to bring in more customers and increase profits. They devise lucrative advertising and promotional strategies but these only lead to income loss and higher deficit. Customers are the biggest variable in the equation. Businesses earn profit through repeat customers; hence, providing excellent customer service should be the priority. When you have satisfied customers, there is no need for fancy advertisements because you will increase the number of contented customers who are guaranteed to come back for more. Here are some keys to good customer service to keep your customers happy:nn1. Be courteous. This is something that is largely dismissed nowadays. A little act of politeness will make customers feel more valued and important. Make them feel that you are sincere in extending a helping hand. A frown can drive people away, while a smile can draw more people in. Address your customer with “Ma’am” or “Sir”. Deal with one customer at a time to make him feel that he has your complete attention.nn2. Be resourceful. Customers become angry when you tell them that you cannot grant their request because “It’s the company’s standard policy.” Customers do not want to hear such an excuse. If you want more happy customers, think creatively. There are legal ways to go around your company’s ironclad policies. Make it a policy to extend service beyond the standard procedures in order to satisfy a customer’s needs. nn3. Be prompt. Never put any of your customer’s requests on hold, especially when it is obviously urgent. Prompt and accurate service may lead to referrals. Hence, empower your staff members so they can make quick decisions and attend promptly to the needs of your customers. nn4. Under promise and over deliver. Refrain from giving false promises. Never promise what you cannot deliver. It is still best to under promise and over deliver. This is the best way to wow your customers! nn5. Extend your service. Even if it is not part of your standard service procedures, do something for the customer that shows genuine interest to their needs. For example, you can lead a customer to their seat, or open doors for elderly customers. People like the idea of getting more value for their money. For business to thrive, using these keys to good customer service should be in the forefront of your mission and vision. This must be made clear to all you staff members. Deliver this message loud and clear by make it a point to measure their performance in terms of number of happy and satisfied customers. By providing quality customer service, you create a desirable reputation for your business that will entice more people to avail of your service. Just apply these keys to good customer service… and a successful business will be yours for the long run.