Your customer doesn’t want to be treated like another statistic along an assembly line. They want to be treated with respect. It is very important that your customer realizes just how important their business is to you.
Imagine if you were a daily customer at a bank, restaurant, or some other establishment. And every day that you walked in, a sales associate would take care of your business, than hurry you out the door, without so much as a hi, bye, or even making eye contact for that matter.
Okay, so you don’t necessarily go to these places to make new friends, but you would think that the experience could be just a little bit positive.
Maybe this isn’t enough to make someone take their business elsewhere. However, it just might if they were approached by your competition, and your competition gave them an idea of just how the grass can be greener on the other side, and managed to swipe that customer from you. And if they did, would you even realize it?
The most important thing to your customer when doing business is customer service. People want to be treated with respect. They want to be addressed by name, they want their phone calls returned, and they want their problems resolved in a timely fashion.
Customer service, believe it or not, is more important to people than the amount of the product, or the over all fees’ they have to pay.
So before you discuss pricing, give them great customer service up front.
When I was in banking, I had an elderly couple take their business to a new bank that just opened across the street offering all kinds of special promotions at their grand opening. They happened to be very good customers of mine, and they were sad to go. They told me that the new bank was able to offer them the same products I could, except the products were free.
I told them that although the products may be free, they would never experience the customer service there that they received here.
They understood, but left by telling me that it just made economic sense for them to leave.
A month later, they came back. Needless to say, they were not happy with the other bank’s customer service.
I wasn’t at all surprised and was only too happy to have them back.
Excellent customer service is a great way to build customer relationships, and also build customer loyalty.
When I say customer loyalty, I mean they won’t be so quick to jump ship when approached by your competitor.
People love to have the peace of mind that whatever product or service they have with you is secure with you. They like knowing that if ever there is a problem, or if they have a question, you will be there to resolve their issue, regardless of what it may be.
Excellent customer service also leads to loyalty because if your customers like the way you treat them, they will be happy to refer their friends and family to you.
Providing excellent customer service to gain loyalty is quite easy. People love to be greeted by name along with a smile. They love to have their problems resolved quickly, so make sure they know that they can depend on you. They like to have their phone calls returned, so return them.
Customer service is key to retaining your customers, and obtaining all of their business. It is also a great way to obtain referrals from them.
Trust me, treat your customers the way you would treat your friends or family and they will stick with you forever, and provide you with a lot of business. Good luck.
Customer Service Customer Loyalty
It seems that as our technology improves, the business/customer relationship is declining. With online technical and sales support, the personal side of customer relations is not as prevalent. There is no longer any loyalty to a business and its products and services. This trend can cause a significant decrease in sales. One way to counteract this trend is to resolve customer service problems successfully and efficiently in order to retain customer loyalty.
The following list outlines simple but effective methods of successfully resolving customer service problems:
Create a Customer Complaint Department: The best way to deal with customer complaints effectively and efficiently is to have experts who are able to manage irate customers with their problems
Be Polite and Courteous: If a customer walks into a business or calls, it is important that the customer service representative takes the time to show that they care and are willing to listen and help. Empathize with the customer's problem. An angry customer will calm down if they feel they are valued and respected. Be positive.
Record the Problem: Writing the complaint down and the actions that will be taken helps avoid any misunderstandings. It also shows the customer that the matter is important to the business.
Provide Solutions or Methods of Resolving the Problem: Don't list business policies and practices. This will only infuriate the customer. Work with the customer to come up with a solution that will satisfy the customer. If possible, don't pass the problem off to another representative or transfer the call to someone else. If you do, make sure the new representative has all of the pertinent information so the customer does not have to repeat himself.
Empathize, Don't Apologize: A direct apology will assign blame to the company. It is better to empathize using such phrases as: ‘I am sorry you have had such a difficult time with our product.' It will show that you care about the customer's situation. Try to understand the customer's feelings and point of view. Understanding will go a long way in satisfying the customer.
Keep Your Promises: Make sure that you don't make promises that you can't keep. It will reflect badly on the company and make you look incompetent. The customer will also appreciate reliable service.
Produce Positive Results: Always follow through with your plan to resolve the problem. Bad or poor quality service will cause you to lose customers. The key to maintaining customers is to always follow through with your promise.
Offer loyalty Incentives: If the problem cannot be adequately resolved, offer a customer an incentive so they will continue being a loyal customer. This can include giving them a replacement product or service along with a gift or discount on their next purchase. Everyone loves free things. It will make the customer feel appreciated.
Think of customer complaints as lessons for improving customer care. The solution to great customer service is being able to identify the type of customer you are dealing with. To reap the rewards of customer loyalty, the customer needs to be put first when there is a problem. Showing the customer you care and are willing to resolve the problem efficiently and effectively will go a long way in retaining customer loyalty. Customer loyalty cannot be established immediately, but the investment is well worth it. A happy and satisfied customer is essential to achieving a successful and long term business.
Both Jay Conners & Amy Nut are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jay Conners has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sales and Negotiation, Marketing and Mortgage. Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry. He is the owner of, a mortgage marketing and resource site. Jay Conners's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Amy Nut has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Interview Questions and Careers and Job Hunting. Loyalty marketing services can develop powerful solutions that make your smarter and your brand more relevant. All you need are. Amy Nut's top article generates over 201000 views. to your Favourites.
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