Competing with larger businesses seems almost impossible when you are just starting out. Trying to foster business growth, when the competition has more resources can be discouraging. The temptation to close up shop and surrender can sometimes be overwhelming. However, a bigger business is not always better. You can still establish a strong customer base, if you give the best of the best in customer service.
To give awesome customer service, you will need to do two specific things before you can be successful at being the best of the best. First, you need to put your bottom line on the back burner of priorities. Of course, as a businessperson, you will always be concerned whether you are making a profit. However, your main goal is to become a positive force in promoting your business, regardless of the product or service provided.
Many potential customers will be coming through your doors simply out of curiosity. Your job is to give them a reason to stay. If you are more worried about the day's profit margin, the people will know. But, if you can show them that you genuinely want to provide the best in service and sales, you will be more likely to see the same people coming back at a later date.
The problem most new entrepreneurs face is knowing when you are providing the customer service worthy of drawing people back, like a strong magnet? The fear of competition from the larger businesses, which have greater resources, can often make it difficult to discern whether you are accomplishing your objective.
So, in order to become the best of the best, you are going to need to put yourself in the customer's shoes. When you walk into a new business establishment, what services would you expect, if the proprietor wanted your repeat patronage? What makes a buyer want to return as a loyal consumer? Why would people be willing to give up some amenities, or possibly pay a higher price than the big stores, because they have decided you are the best of the best in customer service?
Consider this list:
1. A smile and a greeting when entering the store
2. Always ready to help, but without sales pressure tactics
3. Being willing to negotiate a sale
4. Amicably resolving issues that might arise
5. Keeping your word
6. Taking time to celebrate and letting customers know how much they are appreciated
7. Learning names, so when they return you can greet them personally
8. The list goes on . . .
You undoubtedly can add to the list. You simply consider the perspective of your customers, and go serve as you would like to be served. As a result, your faithful patrons will keep coming back because they believe in you, not because you have gimmicks and slightly lower prices.
Best In Customer Service
"People used what they called a telephone because they hated being close together and they were scared of being alone." Chuck Palahniuk could be right and wrong! In the world of e-commerce, the telephone could be the single most important tool next to your car keys. An online merchant will not exist and survive in the cutthroat world of online business without key customer service tools. First and foremost, the phone! It's true that people do not want to literally knock on the company's door to ask for technical support when they're having trouble. But they also do not want to be left hanging in the air not knowing who to contact when they need help. If you can provide this means of contact and more, your online business has crossed the line from zero profit to a treasure trove.
DIAL TOLL- FREE
Needless to say, if you can provide toll-free phone numbers for your customers to contact, it would be easier for them to gain confidence on you. The same goes for fax numbers which customers can use to send documents when they need to, such as checks and billing proofs. This is extremely important for you and your customers as it helps establish a quick, reliable way to communicate with the simplest tools.
USING VOIP AND IM
Some companies provide a way for customers to talk via voice-over internet protocol (VOIP). VOIP, for the uninitiated, connects people through the internet on a phone call basis without having to disconnect (if they are using dial-up). All they need to do is use a program similar to Skype. Most Instant Messenger programs allow VOIP calls but companies may buy an in-house program that is exclusive for their business transactions.
LIVE CHAT, ANYONE?
Although I would say live phone calls are more favorable than IM text messaging, live chat is also an excellent tool that helps customers easily reach you in real time. Most high risk merchant account owners such online casinos and adult websites offer live chat customer services to ensure that their clients get all the support they need.
AN AUTORESPONDER, DAY IN, DAY OUT
The e-mail is another great channel for customer service. If you're a Mom 'n Pop, brick and click store and have a small client'le, providing business e-mail address to your customers is the next best thing to a phone number. You may be out on the holidays and will be back in a few days but still want customer queries coming. The best way to deal with this is to use an Autoresponder program. The Autoresponder is programmed into your server so that every time a customer sends an e-mail, a message such as "We will get back to you shortly" will be sent to her. This way the customer knows that she is taken cared of even though technically at the moment you are out sunning and drinking papaya shake in the Bahamas!
ONLINE SHOPPING CARTS
Perhaps the best way to complete the set of customer tools is to employ a highly efficient, user-friendly virtual shopping cart. A shopping cart works for low risk and high risk merchant business owners alike. The purpose of the online shopping cart is obvious enough: it allows customers to browse through your online store using their registered accounts, pick the services or products that they intend to buy, add them to the cart, and check out after they fulfilled the information it requires such as billing address, shipping method preferred, credit card details, and sender/receiver details.
FORUMS, PODCASTS & BLOGS
A company that has grown with a considerable customer base can take advantage of establishing a forum. Customers can use it to tackle problems, build rapport, or help each other in the community. This is the best way for online merchants (who may act as moderators) to know how else they can improve their products and customer service. They may also take advantage of creating product-oriented blogs. These blogs may be customized in order to be highly readable for the clients. Merchants can make use of newsletters, webcasts and podcasts to reach their customers when they release new promos and announcements.
In fact, there are a hundred and one ways to prove to your customers that they come first. Whether you are a low risk merchant affiliated to a local bank or a high risk merchant whose account is established offshore, there's no shortage to happy ways you can serve and keep your customers who are, in the end, the bread and butter of your business!
Both Paul Sutherland & Gerri Bryce are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Paul Sutherland has sinced written about articles on various topics from Customer Service, self improvement and motivation and Food and Drink. Paul Sutherland is an Accelerated Business Growth Coach. His company - Daniel Thomas International - http://www.dti.eu.com helps corporate and SMEs to grow their businesses wi. Paul Sutherland's top article generates over 49500 views. Bookmark Paul Sutherland to your Favourites.
Gerri Bryce has sinced written about articles on various topics from Customer Service, Finances and Online Business. Gerri Bryce is a versatile technical writer specializing in general web content copywriting and consultancy for finance and high risk merchant account providers. Gerri Bryce's top article generates over 22200 views. Bookmark Gerri Bryce to your Favourites.
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