A recent study found that 90% of Americans say customer service is vital when choosing a service or brand. What this means is that customers and clients will go elsewhere for services or products if they feel neglected. Conversely, effective customer service can improve your company’s image, building trust and reputation which will promote word of mouth advertising.
There is no challenge in a happy customer or client. So you should relish the challenge of a difficult customer or client. The customer is not always right, but should never be made to feel that they are wrong. The operative word when dealing with difficult clients is empathy. An approach of sincere empathy can go a long way in resolving issues. A customer does not want to hear sympathy. They really don’t care how sorry you are. In fact, this approach will be counterproductive.
You should always attentively listen to your customer’s concern. Study the issues raised by them. Your action item should not be to ascertain whether or not their concern is warranted, but what action you should take towards resolution. Always remember that resolutions should be two-fold. The first step should always be the swift satiation of the customer’s issue. The second step is to review process and / or procedures so that the recurrence of the problem will be minimized. Use this data to stay focused on what’s important to your customers.
A difficult customer or client very often can be satiated with some type of “value add” to their transaction. This frequently leads to customer retention, repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Get creative and develop a “value add” for the customer or client that is not a profit loss for you. Handling this process in a friendly and professional manner often can lead to upsell opportunities with the same “difficult” client.
Customer service is important because it gives results. Understanding what customers expect when they contact you is the first step to improving customer satisfaction and building sustainable business relationships. Positive memorable customer service doesn’t just improve business, it builds brand loyalty and repeat business.
By Don DeVerges
Operations Director