When your business is on a low budget, there are a few departments that become a high priority when allocating funds. It’s usually your product development team and marketing that gets financial assistance.Â
Your customer service team should be just as important, however, if not more important, than your other teams. After all, it’s the direct connection between your customers and your business.
Customer service is important to your business because it retains customers and gives them more value. By providing excellent customer service, businesses recoup customer acquisition costs and cultivate a loyal following that refers customers, provides case study opportunities, and provides testimonials and reviews for acquiring more business.
Customers are the backbone of your business and they determine the success or failure of your business. They, therefore, need to feel appreciated in order for them to become loyal to your brand or business.
Here are a few ways that you can improve your customer service:
Offering incentives!
Rewarding loyal customers is one way to ensure those customers return. Customers enjoy receiving special offers, discounts or loyalty points every time they purchase goods or services at their favourite store. It encourages them to return and purchase something else so their loyalty points accumulate and eventually they can receive something for free. Create a special email subscription for loyal customers, so that they are the first to know about special offers before they are sent out to the general public.
Encouraging customer interaction!
It really helps to engage with customers by opening up a platform for them to talk to and interact with your business. Businesses that comment on their customer comments show validation. Customers love it when brands interact with them and it makes them feel part of the decision-making process in the organisation. Customer interaction can be facilitated in various ways such as: encouraging customers to share images of themselves or the product on their social pages. Creating surveys to see what they like or dislike about a product or service, and/or asking for suggestions that might help improve the product or service.
Constantly improve on customer service!
When it comes to the success of your business, customer service is everything. Good customer service is a strong competitive advantage. Customer service can be improved by shortening order delivery time, responding promptly to queries or complaints, constantly checking reviews, and addressing concerns. Creating a user-friendly website is always an advantage because it allows your customers to shop or browse without needing assistance. A successful business applies a process of continuous service improvement.
Do regular follow-ups!
It is important to do regular follow-ups with your existing customer base, as this shows interest and a sense of appreciation in what they have to say. Sending emails to an existing customer base and asking for feedback on service is to be encouraged as it shows that the business wishes to grow and it is willing to improve where it can. To build customer loyalty a business must take the time to reach out to its customers.
Here are a few other hints on how to build a loyal customer base:
Offer an exceptional client encounter, every time.
Offer unbelievable rewards.
Keep on supporting customers.
Try never to disappoint customers.
Avoid being predictable.
It’s undeniable that your customer service team can make your company the best version of itself and help your business through tough times. Invest the time and energy it takes to deliver exceptional customer service so that you can create a loyal customer following. Â