Essential Tips for Providing Customers With Great Customer Service

Essential Tips for Providing Customers With Great Customer Service
Linda Moore
11/5/2014
Updated:
4/23/2016

Customer service is essential for any business, and stellar customer service can make a huge difference in the recognition of your business. For example, a Stevens Point business, Franks Hardware, was recently recognized as having the best customer service. Not only does great customer service get you and your business recognition, it will also help your customers stay happy and make them want to keep coming back.

Below are some tips that you can use in your business to provide your business with better customer service according to the experts at Marketing.About.

Know Who is Boss

You’re in business to help customers with their needs. You are only able to do that when you know what customers want. When you are listening to your customers, they are telling you what they are looking for and the ways you can give them good service. Don’t forget that customers pay your salary and makes it possible for you to have a job.

Listen to your Customers

Take time to identify the needs of your customers by asking the customer questions and putting your concentration on what the customer’s saying. Listen to every word they are saying, their body language, their voice tone, and, very importantly, the way they feel. Be careful of making an assumption and thinking that you that you already know what they want.

Identify & anticipate customers’ needs

Customers aren’t purchasing services or products. They are purchasing problem solutions and good feelings. Most of the needs of customers are emotional instead of logical. When you know your customers well, you will be able to anticipate the needs that they have. Regularly communicate with your customers so that you know of upcoming needs or problems.

Make your customers feel appreciated and important

Treat each of your customers individually. Always use the names of customers and find different ways that you can complement them. At the same time, however, be sincere. Your customers are going to appreciate your sincerity. This will create trust and good feelings. Think about the different ways that you can generate some good feelings and reasons that people should do business with your company. Customers are extremely sensitive and they will know if you truly care about their needs. Every time you can, make sure that you are thanking your customers.

When you are out on your sales floor, make sure you are conveying sincerity through your body language. Your actions and words need to be congruent.

Assist customers with understanding your systems

The company you work for might have the best systems in the world for accomplishing things, but if your customers can’t understand your systems; they may become angry, impatient, and confused. Take some time to educate them about your systems and the way the systems are simplifying transactions. Be very careful that the systems aren’t reducing your organization’s human element.

Appreciate how powerful the word “Yes” is

Always search for the ways that you are able to assist your customers. When they have a reasonable request, let them know that you’re able to do it. Figure out the way to do it later. Look for some ways that you can make it easy to do business with you.  Always follow through on your promises.

Understand how you should apologize

Anytime something goes wrong, be sure to apologize. It’s simple and your customers will love it. Your customer might not always be correct, but your customer needs to be the winner. Immediately deal with any problems and tell customers what has been done. Complaining should be simple for customers. See the complaints as valuable. Even though you may not like the complaints, its valuable feedback and helps you improve. Even if the customers are going through a horrible day, do what you can do to help them feel better.

Get feedback regularly

Welcome and encourage suggestions about possible improvements that customers might enjoy. There are a few ways that you can find out the things that customers feel and think about the services and products you offer:

  • Carefully listen to their feedback
  • Regularly check back to find out how they like your services
  • Give methods for inviting constructive comments, suggestions, and criticism.

While looking at customer service horror stories might be a little unnerving, they can be useful in helping you figure out what not to do, CBS Chicago hosts a wide range of stories with their annual Halloween Horror Story contest you could take a look at and learn from. Customer service doesn’t just mean that you are providing your customers the answers that they want and the service that they want. It also means giving them tools at your business to give them quick and accurate transactions.

One of the best ways to do that is through using a good POS system. One place that you can get your POS system from is Shopify. Go to their website and see the different things that they can offer you for your business.

I am a freelance writer and enjoy reporting on a variety of topics.
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