Competition in any type of business can get pretty tough. Everybody wants to gain an edge and are always on the lookout for new techniques to accomplish it.
If you are looking to make a real difference, you should make customer service a priority. However, do not expect to see results overnight. Customer service is one of the key things that you need to be on top of all the time. Consistency is key.
Good customer service ensures that your clients are happy with what you offer and will continue to spend their money with you instead of another company or store. If you believe that your business has room to improve, here are some tips you may find useful.
VIP Sale
Some of your customers are probably spending a lot more than others. If you have not given out VIP statuses before, you should consider doing so. This practice is quite common and it is a good way to let your customers feel like they are part of a valued community. Give them a sense that they belong, and they will reciprocate with loyalty.
Early Access
Another way to improve customer service is by announcing something and releasing it earlier. You could allow early access to everyone, or just a select few. For instance, if you are running a print on demand business model by Printify, perhaps you are about to introduce an entirely new product or a new design. Allow early orders for those that really want it.
Respond with Videos
Most brands tend to stick to a simple text responses. While they do their job, such responses are a bit boring. A company that is starting out can really take things to the next level by introducing video responses.
You can personalize each answer in a video by addressing the customer by their name, and thoroughly explaining the situation. It will take time, but you should not have too many inquiries at the very start of your business. And once things pick up, perhaps you can find a person who will have a dedicated position for doing this type of work.
Outsourcing
Things can get pretty hectic and once they do, you will find yourself in a situation where taking care of everything yourself is pretty impossible. Thus, looking to outsource some of your work is what many choose to do.
By outsourcing some of your business you can also save time and money. Just make sure that the people you outsource to provide the same high level of service as you.
Birthday Cards and Holiday Greetings
Another way to show your appreciation is by sending out greetings for various occasions. This particular technique works great as most people like to be remembered and made to feel special. You could even send a small gift or sample.
Teach Employees
When you have a customer support team, be careful not to let it stagnate. Make sure that everyone is constantly improving because your support people are responsible for your company’s customer service success .
Pay Attention to Complaints
Some problems are more common than others. One of the fastest ways to make a big difference in overall service quality is figuring out which problems occur the most. Be it shipping times, the slow loading speed of a website, quality of certain products, and so on. The sooner you get to the root cause and and fix the problem, the better your business will perform.
Freebies
Similar to VIP status and early access, offer customers some freebies. It can be something trivial, like a sticker that comes with the product. As long as it is for free, people will appreciate it. And while this strategy may require some extra funds from your side, it will pay off in no time.
Organize Contests
Some would say that organizing contests and giveaways are not something to be considered a part of customer service, but when you look into it, such gestures can go a long way into showing people that you care.
Not everyone is willing to give away free stuff because there is no immediate reward in exchange. Think about the future and how it can benefit you by being nice to others, which, in this case, are your customers.
To sum up, providing excellent customer service plays a big part in becoming a successful business. Neglecting this can really damage your reputation and lead to unhappy customers and ultimately the loss of revenue and profits. Do all you can to ensure that you are customer-friendly and your customers will repay you with their loyalty for years to come.
