Yes, Customer Service Is Still Important
Customer service will always be the heart of any business, primarily because customers pay the bills. Do not get so caught up in all the new forms of customer engagement that you lose sight of serving your customer. I have often looked up companies because they have a strong and pleasant online presence, only to be met by poor customer service. Whether it was via email, in person or over the phone they lost a customer by the way the situation was handled. Remember, everyone that calls, emails or visits your business is a potential customer, or they could be the person to introduce you to the person you need to connect with. Do not make assumptions about whom or what you think a person is, treat everyone with respect while letting them know why your business is the best at what it does. While online interaction is very important these days you must always satisfy the needs of those that are actually supporting your business.
A few things to remember:
1) SMILE!!! People can hear a smile in your voice and trust me it makes a difference
2) Do not respond when angry. As a business owner we are often met with poor reviews or emails that are less than friendly. Read or listen to the message, write your response and wait. Re-read it in a few hours and ensure that the tone of our response is pleasant. Situations can be made far worse by an angry response.
3) If you have someone that handles your complaints, check on the correspondence from time to time to ensure that their responses are professional and customers are satisfied.
4) Treat others as you would want to be treated. Put yourself in the customers shoes, think of how you would want the situation handled if you had a complaint.
