Customer Satisfaction at Your Fingertips
Many people complain about customers being difficult and always the demanding spoilt brat that they are; never having enough of anything. Well, to say it bluntly, aren’t we all that spoilt brat at one time or another?
We are also people with needs and wants. We go shopping for groceries at the local supermarket, we pick and sort the juiciest of apples from the bunch and still complain to the attendant about its quality. We go to the tailor and make ourselves a pair of pants; picked the best in materials, and still complain it is too rough for your taste.
Let’s just face it, we complain because we pay for it. We pay for it using the hard-earned dollars we toiled our backs with. So is it for customers to complain? No it’s not. The real question is “What should we, the provider of the goods and services, do to handle them?”
Giving what your customers want without sacrificing yourself
We all know the story... it costs 5 times more to bring in a new customer, than to keep an existing one. When people become your customer, they want to be loyal. So, why do they leave? Most of the time, they leave because of small oversights and lack of attention to plain, old customer service.
Just begin by smiling; no matter the time and place. Just because you are behind a monitor or when the customer called over the telephone line, smiling will provide you with a different attitude towards handling them. People’s actions are governed by their attitude and feelings that they are experiencing at that particular moment. So, SMILE.
Then continue on by telling them what you can do for them. Have them hear all the good stuff first. Again this is about the psychological effect the customers will have when you tell them about your products’ capabilities and features.
Be personal with them. Use their first names instead of using “sir” or “madam”. What we want is for the customers to be feeling like they are at their own home environment. We want them to feel cosy when they are interacting with us.
Be proactive in providing solutions for them. Remember, they come to us because they need a solution to something that they do not know the answer for. So offer your solutions to them. If they are looking for a certain product that you do not yet offer, tell them where they can get it.
Do not think that by telling a competitor’s product to your customers means the end of getting any sales from them. If the customer is happy with your advices and solutions, they will forever remember you and when they need something you can provide, they will be sure to come back.
What about those customers that are just plain difficult to handle?
Let them vent their frustration if it need be. As long as it stays at a reasonable tone, just let them be. Once they are done with it, they will feel better and you can offer your solutions to them.
Without appearing too soft, say “sorry” and apologize to them for any inconveniences they might be encountering.
Finally, when they have completed their transactions or questioning, offer them more by asking them, “What else can I do for you?” This will usually result in more sales and a more committed customer. Why? It’s because they feel happy and good – Simple enough logic.
Nobody say keeping a customer happy is an easy job, but someone has to do it, and why not let that person be you? After all, a happy customer equals more business revenues.
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