Win New Customers, then keep them.
In our last post, we kicked off the conversation on how you as a small business can win new customers and keep them using excellent customer service as a system to get people to know, like and trust your business. A working customer service system creates your customers into brand advocates that can stan your brand even in your absence.
There can never be enough advise on getting customer service to work for you, so we gathered responses from a number of entrepreneurs who have felt the pain of a broken process and created this for you.
06. Create a database of customers complaints
Always keep account of customers complaints, this would help you optimize for big changes on your service. Take customer feedback like free business advise, because they are so valuable for your survival as a business. Create a database of customers complaints and solutions given to each complaints for future purpose and quick retrieval. There are a number of tools, we make use Google sheets for logging customers complaints as well as tracking how and when the solution was built for that customer.
07. Be a good listener
Customers feel safe when you pay attention to their problem like it is the only one in the world, it might be really easy for you to fix, but if it means a mountain to the customer, treat it as one. You really cannot put a price on placing your customers pain points as priority. Don’t complete their sentences, don’t assume you know the way they feel, most of the time, you don’t. Listen, truly listen.
08. Learn from your customers.
Customers are the one seeing you from the outside, they perceive you more than you do yourself. Learn from your customers especially when a complaint is lodged. The best way to keep them coming is when you learn from their reviews of your customers and build to solve for their unique pain points. Do not take this for granted. Learning is a continuous process and to become better at your customer service you have to learn from the people you are in business for (your customers).
09. Your word is your bond.
New customers will become old and repeat customers when you stick to your promise and never go back on your word. No matter how small the service you are rendering is, make sure your word is your bond. If you promise to deliver your product in three working days, it is better you deliver a day before than to deliver a day after. This is why we love the old business axiom; under-promise and over-deliver. This shows a sign of commitment and dedication to give the best of service to a customer and sends a long lasting impression of an excellent business that sticks in the minds of your customers.
10. A Happy Team
Never underestimate the value of your team. Think of your employees as your first customers. Delight them thoroughly, because only then will they see themselves as part of this amazing thing you are building. Once they do, they find it the natural thing to evangelize your brand’s offering, win new customers and even go the extra mile to keep them by whatever means necessary. In summary, win the hearts of your employees, and like magic, they would win the heart of your customers.
If you found this post useful, don’t forget to give all the claps that you can, it’s 50, you can’t store them to exchange for cash, so be kind and please exhaust them on us!
Let’s keep the conversation going, we’d really love to connect with you. Follow Triift Africa on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
