What is customer service to you? What does it mean to you, as a business and as a customer? There are a thousand ways one can answer this question. Everyone has a different opinion and a different view of customer service. To a customer, it is important as they want to receive help during finding a particular product, ordering, exchanging, returning, etc. To a business, it is important as it can be the basis of their customers returning and continuing to shop from them. You could say these are the main reasons that people identify customer service as important. However, there is more to it than that.
Customer service is just as important to any business as its identity, logo, name, and other elements. Today, in this article, that is what we will be looking at. Oftentimes, customer service is overlooked or not considered too important and this could be the biggest mistake any business could make. It doesn’t matter how big or small a business is, customer service is what can make or break your business. So, let’s take a look at what customer service can do for your business!
Customer service is a representation of your brand
Customer service, unlike what most people think, represents your brand’s image, values, mission, and much more. Just like how a logo of a brand is considered important as it is what the customers will associate the brand with, customer service is also something to be remembered and associated with. For example, Apple is a tech giant and we all know why. It’s because of how their iPhones, iPads, and iMacs have become a standard for everyone. It doesn’t matter how expensive the new iPhone might be, there will always be thousands of people lining up outside their stores to get their hands on it.
Part of the reason for its success is its excellent customer service. They promise great customer service to their customers and they fulfill that promise! Their support agents are extremely helpful and pleasant to the customers, which makes them feel at ease. While it is understandable that a customer can be rude due to his/her distress, the support agents should always be pleasant and calm. If a customer has a good experience with your brand, they are sure to remember that and this means that your brand will be associated with a good feeling. On the contrary, a bad experience will make them feel angry or frustrated with your brand and they might not want to shop again.
Good customer service brings about customer retention
Customer retention refers to building a good and strong relationship with your existing customers to make them loyal to your brand. While there are several ways to do that, the most effective way to do it is through good customer service. When we say good customer service, we don’t just mean being at their beck and call, rather we mean a memorable experience for them or something that leaves a good impression on them.
Customer acquisition, meaning working to gain new customers, is important, however, customer retention is more fruitful for you. Why? Because a satisfied customer trusts the brand and is likely to spend more money than a new customer who has yet to trust your brand. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you stop focusing on gaining new customers, rather customer retention through good customer service should also be a priority. Staff members, salespersons, cashiers, and agents that are friendly and pleasant, no matter the situation, are likely to be remembered more than a staff member who is just doing the bare minimum.
Happy employees mean good service and happy customers
This is a problem that many companies seem to face. Usually, employees are never happy with their workplace. The reason? It’s because they have to work and meet deadlines and attend meetings. It’s all very exhausting and after a while of the same routine, you are bound to get frustrated. However, it doesn’t mean that the workplace doesn’t have to be a pleasant place. There are many corporations and companies around the world that have a great work culture and the biggest example is Google. If you didn’t know that before, you really need to check it out!
Ensuring that your employees are happy and content means they will be performing their best and will not have any reason to be upset or frustrated at work. This, in turn, leads them to be pleasant and calm with the customers and so on. Making an employee feel important and appreciated for their efforts is one way to go about things. When an employee feels good about the brand, they will do their best to convey those feelings to the customer and make sure they are not disappointed by anything.
There is nothing greater than customer loyalty
A product or service can be copied or reproduced by anyone but it won’t necessarily bring about the same emotions. Let’s take the example of Spectrum, an internet service provider. Spectrum is a major ISP, which serves in more than 40 states and has maintained quite a name for itself. It provides services to more than 30 million people across the U.S. and continues to grow and expand! Part of the reason for its success is its customer service. While Spectrum delivers highly reliable internet connections, it is also delivering great customer service to its customers.
Spectrum customer service is available around the clock and you can contact them on their phone number for internet, TV, phone, or any kind of issue. This is how you retain customers and gain new ones as well. The loyalty of a customer means you will always be their #1 brand for your services and products. This will also mean that their kids could also grow up to be your loyal customers. This way your business has guaranteed a number of successful sales!
Word-of-mouth is a given if customers are happy
Usually, when you want to get the word around about your brand, you advertise and use email marketing tactics. However, do you want to know one of the most effective marketing tactics? Word-of-mouth! How can you do that? A happy customer is all you need! You see, when you go into a store and buy something only to go home and find that the item is damaged, you come back to try and exchange or refund it. What happens if you are met with a rude salesperson who is being unreasonable with you? You immediately think you won’t come back again.
However, if you were met with a pleasant salesperson who walked you through their policy and explained gently that the item cannot be refunded but it is possible to exchange it for a new one, you’re going to think about how wonderful your experience was! Naturally, you’re going to talk about this experience with your friends and families right away or when a similar topic is brought up. This will lead new customers to be attracted to the brand and think about shopping there in the near future. This is the power of good customer service. Even if you were to get your item exchanged in the first scenario, you wouldn’t have wanted to come back due to the rude behavior. So, it is important to train your staff appropriately to deal with situations like these.
Closing the topic
No matter the industry or the products and services, customer service is equally important for all corporations and businesses. No business can thrive without proper customer service and this is exactly the reason why the phrase, “The customer is always right.” exists. While it is true that in many situations the customer is not right, it is only said to show the importance of making your customer happy. If the customer leaves the store feeling more than satisfied and like they are important to you, you are doing it right. If the customer leaves the store angry, you are doing it wrong. Remember that!