10 Customer Service Tips to get Repeat Customers
Recently on X (Twitter), someone talked about how a vendor was cold when speaking with her via DM. She mentioned how the vendor replied with low energy which made her reconsider buying because she couldn’t imagine having an issue with her order and having to deal with such a demeanour when resolving the issue.
This speaks to how customers can sense the energy you have as a business owner, and how this can affect your sales.
Having the best product is not enough, because even if people buy from you because you do your work well, they will be hesitant to tell others about you, just as shown in this screenshot below.
See? In this article, we’ll examine 10 customer service tips to impress your customers and get them to become repeat customers and unpaid brand ambassadors. Let’s get to it.
10 Customer Service Tips to Impress Your Customers
Here are 10 tips to help you elevate your customer service game to give customers the best shopping experience that will linger in their hearts for a long time.
1. Be prompt and polite in your interaction
Being prompt and polite when interacting with customers whether online or in your physical store goes a long way in how they perceive your business. If online, ensure you have an auto responder that tells people the next step to take when they send a message, and always be on the lookout for messages to ensure a human response is sent as soon as possible.
You must also be polite and pleasant when responding to customer’s requests. Don’t be sarcastic or rude, even if the customer is being rude. Also, be energetic and enthusiastic in your interaction, because people can sense the energy you bring into conversations, even online.
Related: 7 Common Mistakes Newbie Business Owners make
2. Be knowledgeable about your product/service
Being very knowledgeable about your business is core business advice, but it is also a customer service tip that will help you.
When you have adequate knowledge about your business, you can help customers make choices when they don’t know what they want or need to choose between alternatives. This shows that you are an expert in your field, and will enable you to make great recommendations that your customers will come to love you for over time.
3. Be open to receiving and implementing feedback
No one is perfect in life and business likewise. So, to succeed as a business owner, you must be ready to receive and implement feedback from your customers.
When your customers see that you are open to corrections and that you implement whatever feedback they give you, they will be more than delighted to continue shopping with you and even refer others to you.
4. Handle difficult situations with empathy
This is one of the areas where your customer service prowess shines the most. The way you handle difficult situations such as when products get to customers in a damaged form or not in the correct size, when the delivery person is late in delivering the products, etc. is key.
To handle situations like this, show empathy and take responsibility for the issue, without playing the blame game. Start by apologizing genuinely, explain the situation of things, and what you are doing to correct it. If possible when resending the package, you can add an apology note or small gift to pacify the customer. It will go a long way in restoring your credibility in their eyes.
5. Establish relationships with your customers beyond sales
Beyond sales, you should also establish a cordial relationship with your customers. This can be shown by periodically checking in with them (if you have the time or human capacity to do so).
When you are pressed for time, you can take note of important dates to them like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, etc to celebrate them with a text message. This builds a relationship that transcends business and helps to build a community of loyal customers.
6. Reward loyal customers
Rewarding customers with incentives helps to retain old customers and attract new ones. By having a loyalty program where loyal customers benefit from buying more, referring people, and doing other things, you can build a solid base of customers. For new customers, you can provide incentives to encourage them to make another purchase, such as a discount code for their next shopping.
For example, MTN Pulse has a point system where they reward customers with points after recharging. These points can then be later used to buy data, and do other things.
You should read: 6 Pricing Strategies to Make Your Customers buy more
7. Follow up with customers
Following up with customers and their orders is a pro tip you mustn’t ignore. When goods have been sent, inform the customers, then follow up on whether they got the goods. And when it gets delivered, check up on the customer again asking if they love what they got.
This shows that you care about the customer beyond the money they are paying and that you want them to get the best experience. At this stage, you can ask them for a product review to use in attracting other customers to your business.
8. Offer self-help resources
Offering self-help resources like DIY manuals, product use videos, being able to jump on a short call to explain things, etc is another strategic way to improve your customer service.
With this, customers can rely on your help when they encounter difficulties with your products. Also, make yourself approachable so they know that they can access you when necessary to ask questions and get clarity on product usage.
Related: Tips for building a great customer service experience for your small business.
9. Add personalized notes to packages
Another way to stamp your business in people’s hearts is to add personalized notes to packages. This could be a note expressing appreciation, or a note with a discount code for their next shopping. This is a small way to make a huge impression without breaking the bank.
10. Employ the right hands to handle the work
Now, when you are pressed for time, and don’t have the time or energy to do all of these, you can employ individuals to manage this aspect of the business for you.
This may seem like an unnecessary expense, but trust me, it is a big investment into the kind of image that people will have of your business. So, you should take it seriously.
Making Customer Loyalty a Priority
There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” — Sam Walton, Founder of Walmart
Your customers are the bedrock of your business, they are the reason why you started the business and the reason why you are still in business. So, you must always satisfy them to build a successful business. When they are continually satisfied over a long time, you can convert one-time buyers to repeat customers, satisfied customers to loyal customers, and loyal customers to unpaid brand ambassadors.
Also, the kind of experience people have with your business will determine the stories they tell others about it. So, ensure the story they tell about your business is the one you will like to hear.
At Triift Africa, helping small business owners build and grow successful businesses is our priority, and we do that by offering a business community where you can learn and giving access to low-interest loans to expand your enterprise.
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