Customer service is one of the most important elements of running successful businesses today. If you don’t keep everyone happy, you will soon gain a bad reputation, and that is a recipe for disaster. One dissatisfied customer is certain to lead to another, and most of them will tell their friends about the negative experience.
Luckily, dealing with complaints and issues effectively is not a complicated science. You simply have to follow a series of basic rules that should apply to every business. The tips below should set you off on the right track. Take a moment to read them now, and we are convinced you will find yourself in a better position moving forward.
Treat the customer like they are always right.
It might sound cliche, but it’s true. You need to make your customers feel like all their complaints, questions and issues are valid. Even if you don’t give into all their demands, you must leave them feeling that you care. Never end phone calls quickly, and always try to reach a solution that satisfies both parties. At the end of the day, it’s worth losing a small amount of money now to ensure repeat orders are made by those customers in the future.
Offer numerous means of getting in touch.
Some of your customers won’t like talking to your team in person, and that is why you must offer many alternatives. For instance, adding a live chat feature to your website will allow people to send instant messages instead. You should also look towards getting a cheap phone number that people can call for little expense.
Some of you might think 0800 numbers are the most suitable out there, but you would be wrong. Those numbers can cost a fortune to call when your customers are using a mobile. It is prudent to select 0333 standard rate numbers because they are much cheaper. If you want to know more about the benefits of using 0333 numbers, you will find lots of information available online. Alternatively, you could contact the companies that specialise in those numbers and speak to an adviser.
Employ team members with impressive social skills.
There is no point employing people who do not sound friendly and understanding when dealing with customer service issues. Understanding good phone etiquette is vital if you want the best results. You need to develop interview techniques and methods that are going to sort the wheat from the chaff. Every single person working in your customer complaints departments needs impeccable social skills.
So long as you put those three tips into practice, we are confident that your customer service department will flourish. No matter what you do, there are always going to be complaints from time to time. Success lies in your ability to deal with them appropriately and ensure that everyone has a good experience when making purchases from your firm.
Just remember that you need a decent-sized budget to cover everything properly. There is no point in trying to cut back when you are just starting out. You need the best reputation possible if you want your company to exist well into the future.
