BUILD YOUR BRAND WITH GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

MARCH 2016

So the other day I walked into a fast food outlet to buy two burgers, after giving me the receipt I popped out of to buy fries elsewhere. 10 minutes later I come back to collect my order only to get an unexpected shock. I approach the lady who is in charge of dispensing orders, and as I stood in front of her waiting to give me my order she gives me a blank stare. Feeling confused, wondering why isn’t she putting my order in a plastic bag and handing it over to me I ask “what’s is it?” She then replies you need to buy a plastic bag. What! My eyes went wide open, “I have to buy a plastic bag!” She went on to say you can buy it at the counter, it’s 50cents. Off I went with 5o cents I hand still baffled that I had to buy a plastic, I mean the least they could have done is factor in a mere 50 cents into the cost price of each meal. This just reeked of poor customer service.

 

Every time you or a member of your team interacts with a customer/client the type of customer service you have comes out, whether you have a plan or not. According to Investopedia Customer Service is the process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service. Usually customer service is enacted, shown or evident when a business transaction occurs, such as a sale, returning a product, service complaint/query etc.

 

 

Customer Service is the process

 of ensuring customer satisfaction

with a product or service.

 

 

 

The importance of great customer service extends beyond applications in restaurants and fast food outlets, it can also be applied to service based businesses and other forms of business. Failure to implement a customer service strategy and system can result in customers simply never returning through your doors. Slowly but surely you’ll be seeing less and less customers buying from you, soon after the doors will close for good. As a marketing firm the last thing we want is to see any business fail or close down. The idea may be brilliant but execution is everything.

 

As an entrepreneur put yourself in the shoes of your customers or clients, would you like to be treated the way your employees treat your customers? Ask yourself the following questions to ascertain if you have good customer service:

1. How long does it take to attend to customers/clients? What is the industry norm and are you better than it?

2. How quickly do you respond to customer/client queries, via personal contact, email, telephone and social media included?

3. What tone of voice, level of friendliness and attentiveness do you employees use when dealing with customers/clients?

4. Does your team have the maturity, calmness, friendliness and patience to handle difficult customers – how thick is their skin?

5. Can certain aspects be automated?

 

These questions will help you develop a customer service plan that will enhance your businesses functionality and sales. Remember its about creating good customer relationships that will benefit your business in the long term.

 

Great support is imperative for small businesses, so make sure that your team is ready, willing and able to offer great customer service.

 

MORE BLOGS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

click here for more entrepreneurial blogs

THE WALK IN

WORDS FROM THE

WISE: PROVERBS

CREATING A NETWORK

OF OPPORTUNITIES

SURVIVING THE FUTURE: INNOVATE

DESIGNED BY COLOUR FLUTTER