3 Simple Rules That Can Turn Customer Service into your Best Marketing Strategy
By: Nick Cantu // Owner & President of NCMS

In the world we live in today, customer service is almost a lost art form. Retail Stores and Casual Restaurants are dying and its not for a lack of solid marketing campaigns, the ease and ability to use eCommerce platforms or good food. It is because the consumer dreads the customer service experience.
Being the Owner of NCMS I pride myself on this principle. As a company we strive to make sure a customer never hangs up the phone with us without a resolution to the problem they called about. We also preach that same rule to every customer we have ever worked with. No customer should ever walk out of your business unhappy about their experience.

Keeping your customers feeling like they are the most important people in the world is 150% your biggest marketing strategy. This will stand true until the end of time because what people tell their friends about your business (anecdotal remarks) will go further than any campaign or sale price you can offer. PERIOD. If your business has a reputation of poor customer service it immediately becomes an uphill battle trying to obtain new customers.
You can apply these 3 simple rules with your team to help eliminate the bad customer service stigma or prevent it from day one:
- Raise it Up the Flag Pole
As a business you have managers on duty for a reason. Teach your mangers that their main focus needs to be customer service. When an everyday team member is fielding a complaint from a customer it is their job to offer an initial apology but then to “Raise the Complaint up the Flag Pole” regardless of the pettiness of the complaint. Remember, to you or your staff their complaint may seem petty. But to that customer it may be a make or break incident. Getting to see that a manager has actually heard their complaint and cares enough to make sure you hear from them will go much further than “Sally the Server” saying “I’m sorry about that.”
2. Bite the Bullet
In any customer service based business an angry customer is a dangerous one. Making sure that a customer never leaves upset over a situation will in turn save your business money in the big picture. Coach your management to have the mindset that comping a $40 tab or offering a discount one time for someone who had a poor experience will go much further then letting them leave angry. Doing so for a customer will dramatically increase their chances of a return visit. Not doing so dwindles your opportunity to have that person spend money at your establishment ever again. Bite the Bullet today to reap the rewards of their return business in the future.
3. The Oldest Rule in the Book
The customer is always right. End of story. Its the oldest, most common rule for a reason. Constantly reminding your staff of this rule will go much further then you realize. Making a customer always feel like they are right will give them a sense of power. Humans love power and naturally we will go to places where we feel in power more often then places where we feel small and unheard.
