Is your company seeing an increase in customer complaints? Are you getting bad reviews on various social media networks? It could be time to revamp your customer service.
?Customer service is important because it determines the legitimacy of your business. Whether good or bad, customer service is like a virus ? it spreads. However when the customer service is bad, you will not have any customers. Without customers, you have no business,? notes Dr. Mary M. Gillam, owner of M2G Dynamic Leadership Solutions, LLC.
There are a few easy steps to improve your customer service:
–Know your customers. In order to better service your clients, you have to know them and their needs. ?Understand what they want and stop trying to give them what they need,? says Kerrie Hopkins, creator of a proprietary algorithm that teaches corps the strengths, weaknesses and motivations that are attributed to one’s name, Namezook.
–Build customer service into your business strategy. It is a vital part of your business so make provisions for it and have a plan on how to deliver quality service. ?Make customer service a part of your strategic plan and not a by-product,? says Gillam.
–Get your staff onboard. ?Educate, train, and retrain your team on how to deliver great customer service,? advises Gillam. This should be an ongoing practice.
–Put your new system into action. Once you have the plan, start it. “Implement a system for measuring the effectiveness of your customer service process. You want to create a system that generates repeat customers. If you can?t measure it ? you can?t manage it,? says Gillam.
–Look to technology for help. ?Evaluate and improve technology for better customer service. Using the proper tools can help agents manage issues better and improve communication channels with the customer,? advises Vi Tran, marketing manager, Helpshift. Com.
–Put it in writing for your customers. On your website, clearly explain your customer service policy. ?Optimize FAQs for self-service,? says Tran. ?Most customers would rather find answers themselves rather than to contact a customer service rep. Making answers to the most frequently asked questions as accessible as possible will save time for you both.?
—Get feedback. Solicit information from your customers about their experience with your company and your customer service. ?Customer satisfaction surveys and feedback is a great way to gage how you are really doing,? offers Joy Cook, founder and president of Joy Cook Public Relations Group, LLC, which specializes in digital engagement. ?Anything you aren?t doing well, fix it. And the things that are on target with your customer service goals, keep and enhance.?
