I had an unfortunate experience today with a contractor that got me thinking about customer service, and how we deliver it. After 17+ years working in service based industries, I feel like I have a good grasp on what people expect when they are trading their hard earned money in return for any type product or service.
It’s All About the Relationship!
For me personally, it’s always about the relationship. I believe in taking the relationship beyond the standard, “treating others how you would like to be treated.” Let’s treat our customers like friends and family. After all, they are the ones who are keeping my family fed, and employees paid, right?
I realize that our customers are the only reason our doors are open. And the best part is, I get to live my dream of being a business owner!
Here are Some Tips I Follow on Providing Excellent Customer Service
- Always listen to feedback. Know what you did right, what you did wrong, and make the necessary adjustments.
- Respect all feedback you receive.
- Understand your product.
- Never respond to a situation emotionally.
- Make sure communication is clear, and expectations are well defined on both sides of the transaction.
- Understanding who is a good customer can help prevent unintentionally bad relationships.
- Follow up, follow up, follow up. Always check in before, during, and after and transaction.
- Say thank you. Send a gift.
- Make sure your staff understand your standards, policies, and procedure for service delivery.
- Be friendly, and always willing to listen.
Have you had any good or bad service experiences anywhere lately? Share your story in the comments. We would love to hear from you.