It's pretty easy for most people to remember a time when they received bad customer service. Maybe it was having difficulty returning an item at the store or a phone representative not giving any information relevant to your issue. We've all been there and we know the feeling of frustration that goes along with the experience. Being treated like your issue isn't important or doesn't matter is not the best feeling in the world, especially when it's coming from a business where you bought into their product or service.
So if you can recall a bad experience you've had relatively quickly, it's safe to assume that there is at least a handful of people who could say the same about your business. While negative customer feedback is not something we like as owners and managers, it's something that is absolutely crucial to be aware of as it is one part in handling customer service.
The Basics
Customers are intrinsic to a business. Without them, you don't have a company. Keeping them happy, satisfied and coming back should be one of your top priorities. Having great customer service is huge and can impact your business a lot. Don't believe us?
HelpScout rounded up 75 customer service statistics and here are some of our favorites:
- The probability of selling a product or service to a new client is between 5%-20%. While the probability of selling a product or service to an existing client is 60%-70%.
- News of bad customer service reaches twice as many ears as opposed to a positive customer experience.
- In 2011, 7 out of 10 Americans said they would be willing to spend more money on a product if that meant getting a better customer experience in return.
- 80% of businesses think they deliver excellent customer service, while only 8% of customers think those surveyed businesses provide actually good customer service. That's a big difference!
- 80% of Americans agree that smaller companies place a greater emphasis on customer service than large businesses.
We could go on and on with the numbers. However, it's pretty plain to see - your customers need to be happy. Because if they're not happy, they will look elsewhere for business and that's exactly what your competitors want.
Steps to Take as a Business Owner
So, how do you make sure your customers are happy? Simple - allow a place where their voices can be heard and always put your best foot forward. Here are some of our tips:
Provide a Place for Them to Leave Feedback
Give them an email address or a phone number for them to get in contact with you. Additionally, make sure you provide a way for customers to be able to speak and communicate openly with a representative. Equally important is the time it takes to get back to them. Don't wait around because that's only going to aggraviate them more. Show that you're ready and willing to fix their problems.
Ask Questions
This is a biggie. Sometimes, we think we're doing a great job but when we start asking questions, others shed light on problems we never thought of before. This is key when dealing with customers. As a business owner, you have one way of looking at your company and a customer has another way. If you're having a hard time getting into the mindset of a customer, ask them about your service. This can be done in the form of a survey on your website that you could publish on your social media channels, too.
Don't Just Read Complaints, Solve Them
No one likes being told they are doing something wrong. But as a manager, it's important to be aware of negative things your customers are saying. If you constantly strive to be better, fixing complaints can be a great place to start. If your customers are complaining of an unresponsive site, listen to them. If they ask for more presence on social media platforms, try to incorporate that into your updated marketing plan. The bottom line is if you don't fix grievances your customers have, they'll go elsewhere for your services and probably share their unhappiness with other potential clients.
Benefits of Great Customer Service
Since people are always evolving and changing, customer service is definitely something that cannot be slacked on. If you spend a decent amount of time making sure your customers are happy, great things can happen:
They Will Openly Leave Their Feedback
If customers are over the moon with your services, you won't even have to ask for them to provide feedback - they'll do it because they are so happy about the attention you gave them. They'll give you a positive review on sites that you have no control over, like Yelp and Yellow Pages, which are both priceless. Additionally, they may even feel compelled to write a review for your business on Facebook. A win-win for everybody.
They Will Suggest Your Services to Friends and Family
We all know how important
word-of-mouth advertising is. It is the unicorn of advertising and marketing, mostly because it's something that cannot be controlled. Additionally, most people go to their friends and family before going online when looking for a product or service. If you provide good service and quality products, we guarantee your name will be mentioned. And with the age of the Internet, it's not totally uncommon for people to turn to social media to explain a time when they recevied good service - and that is invaluable.
They Will Come Back for More
If you're happy with a company's product, why would you go looking for a similar product somewhere else? The answer is that you wouldn't. If your customers are happy, they are going to be more likely to buy into your services again (remember that 60%-70% that was mentioned earlier in this post). Keeping customers happy means bringing in more business and who doesn't love that.
The bottom line is that customer service is crucial to any business. While you didn't need us to tell you that, it's important to understand just how important good and happy clients are to the future of your company. If you put your customers first, they will reward you with postive word-of-mouth marketing, great feedback and more business.
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