How to Provide Great Customer Service (Part 1)

If there’s one thing in business that we all appreciate, it’s great customer service. It can make such a tremendous impact on our perception of a company. Equally so, one terrible experience can end a business or a consumer relationship. Let’s explore some simple ways of making sure your customer service is always great!

1. Is the customer always right? Not exactly. But what I do recommend is the following: Listen to them. Everyone has their own perspective and you’ve got to respect that. Realize that you can’t please everyone all the time…but you can certainly give it a good effort. Consider how many times you’ve told a customer service representative your whole story only to find out they’re not the right person to be talking to or they weren’t really listening at all. Then you get to repeat it all over again…in hopes that this time your story won’t fall on deaf ears. Frustrating, wouldn’t you say? Bottom line…make an effort. Listen to your customers and try to resolve their problem as best you can.

2. Come on, answer the phone! Since the first automated telephone response system was created, customer service has gone down hill. I called my satellite radio company the other day and it took 20 minutes to get through the 1000 questions they had for me. Then at the 40 minute mark, I finally got a real person. At the 43 minute mark, we got disconnected! So what am I getting at?! Answer the phone!! Look, I understand that some companies are just too big to answer every call live…most companies aren’t. Set up call forwarding, if that helps. You know as well as I do, it’s such a relief when someone answers. Pride yourself on answering within a certain number of rings. If it’s after hours, then I suggest your recorded message promises a call back the next business day. It’s not too much to ask…and it will be greatly appreciated.

If you’re interested in a consultation or have questions, please email me at Robert@RobertFinkelstein.com. If you have any comments, please write them below.