Repeat business is what fuels the bottom line so ensuring your customers are satisfied with every visit and purchase is vital to small business success.  It’s important to realize that every customer experience needs to be treated with care.  With information becoming so easily available online it opens your business up for increased exposure as well as criticism.  For a fledgling business, just one bad review could mean a significant drop in revenue.  There are many aspects of great customer service and it is necessary to train your staff to handle any situation.  Here are some of the key ingredients of quality customer service.

Expertise

Ensure your staff is properly trained and has developed an expertise on your products and services is the first step in creating a great customer experience.  When a customer has a question your staff should be prepared with an appropriate and accurate answer that allows your customer to make an educated purchase decision.  This will help you to avoid dissatisfied customers and returns.

Empathy

Understanding a customer’s needs and being able to be empathetic to their complaints can help diffuse an otherwise volatile situation.  When a customer has a complaint it’s important that you convey an understanding attitude and determine what you can do to make sure the customer satisfied.  If a customer gets the feel that you don’t care about their issue, no matter how big or small, it could spell disaster for your reputation.

Communication

Communication is important in all aspects of business but particularly when it comes to customer service.  Ensuring that your clients are well informed before making a purchase increases the likelihood they will be happy with that purchase.  Whether it be a question or complaint, your staff will need to be experts in active listening.  Knowing what your customer is asking and being able to identify the root of their complaint makes for a fast and easy resolution.

Professionalism

Professionalism takes many different forms depending on your industry and business model.  This can mean prompt service, appropriate attire, professional demeanor and several other aspects of hospitality.  A big part of running a small business is being personable and transparent but it’s still important to maintain a certain level of professionalism.

Appreciation

Customers that feel like their business is appreciated are likely to return.  Appreciation can be shown by offering frequent customer discounts or simply by saying thank you for your business.  Customer rewards programs are a great way to build a loyal customer base and ensure customer satisfaction.  Showing appreciation for your own employees also improves your chances of having happy customers as your worker’s attitudes will greatly affect their performance.

Knowing How/When To Apologize

It sounds like a simple concept but knowing when a customer expects an apology and how to deliver that apology can have a significant impact on conflict prevention and resolution.  Sometime a simple apology is enough to calm an irritated customer.  Other times it may be necessary to sweeten your apology by offering a discount.

Response Time

If a customer has a complaint it’s imperative that you respond in a timely fashion.  Quickly addressing and bringing resolution to an issue or complaint can have long lasting effects.  Providing an adequate response in a short period of time can actually help business regardless of the original issue.

Accessibility

Whether it be at your location, your website or over the phone, being accessible to your clients is perhaps the most important ingredient in providing quality customer service.  Waiting in line and being placed on hold tends to make a small issue a big one.  Proper staffing and fluent lines of communication can typically stifle any issue before it gets out of hand.

Sometimes quality customer service comes at a price, but if you ask any successful small business owner, it’s worth every penny.  Whether it be more staffing, a new website or an updated communication system, Quikstone Capital Solutions can provide you with the fast funding necessary to help make your customer service top notch.