When it comes to customer service everybody has advice. Some will be great for you, some not so much. And often, it’s not that the advice is bad. It’s just that it’s not right for your business. Some things though, apply regardless of your business style. Here are my 9 favorite customer service tips that I think apply to pretty much everyone.
Have the right customers
This is probably the easiest way to have great customer service. Have the right customers. Have customers that you enjoy working with. Have customers who need exactly what you provide. Have a clear vision of who your ideal customer is and market to that person. The benefit – you won’t have to try so hard. Just be yourself and do your thing and it’ll all work out.
Smile when you answer the phone
This is an oldie, but a goodie. Smiling when you answer the phone lifts your mood, and the smile comes through in the sound of your voice. Then your customers will be more comfortable talking to you. The conversation will run more smoothly and you’ll both leave the conversation feeling a little better.
Remember that they pay your bills
No matter how great your customers are, or how much you like them, there are days when you’re just not in the mood. And there are days when even the best client wants something impossible, or has a million questions on the same day you’re inundated with work. Regardless, you need to remember that without them, you wouldn’t have a business. So, when you’re in a mood, or you’re just too busy – remind yourself how grateful you are to your clients. You might even want to thank them from time to time.
The customer is not always right, but they should always be listened to
That old chestnut “the customer is always right” is clearly not OK. There are times when the customer is totally wrong, or the customer doesn’t understand something and wants the impossible, or the customer is a little annoying. The thing is, they have an issue and part of your job is to resolve the issue. So even when they’re totally off base you need to find out why they’re feeling that way and either change something, or educate them as to why it needs to be done this way.
Aim to under-promise and over-deliver
So many businesses seem happy to overpromise and underdeliver. They will promise you the world, but never come through. So, you learn that they can’t be relied on. You learn to work around their inefficiency and not to believe their hype. But if you’re the opposite and you tell clients the truth and aim to do even better. Then they learn to turn to you whenever they need something. You become their first choice, because they know that whatever you say, will be how it is. If it takes 2 days to do something, never promise you’ll get it done overnight. If you can only do work to a certain standard, don’t promise gold-star service.
Set expectations wisely
This follows on from the previous point – while it’s good to get things done more quickly or to a higher standard than you’d promised, if you do it every time clients will come to expect it. That’s not necessarily a terrible thing, but it can cause problems as you get busier. The same goes for when you’re available – if you answer calls and emails 24/7, don’t be surprised when your clients start expecting you to be at work all the time. So, by all means deliver excellent service for extended hours – but understand that your clients will expect that. Don’t ever think that a client will choose to not work with you because you set limits. In my experience, the only people who do that are the ones you really don’t want to be working with in the first place.
Negotiations are a two-way street
It’s very easy to cave in negotiations with a client. Particularly when you’re new in business and you’re eager to get new clients and build your business. But make sure you have set a line in the sand for anything you’re negotiating and don’t cross it. Any business owner will have things they’re adamant about, and others that they don’t care about. When it comes to negotiating with a new client (or an existing one), don’t be afraid to walk away from a relationship with someone who won’t bend on things that are important for you. And don’t be too rigid on the things you don’t care about.
Don’t be afraid to say no
Originally, letting go of clients who were a bad match for me was almost impossible. In fact, it took something dramatic for me to be able to do it. But once I’d done it, and found I’d opened myself up for great clients, it became more and more easy. There doesn’t have to be an acrimonious split. In fact, letting a client know that you can’t provide the service they want, or you don’t think you work well together can often make them think even better of you. Which may lead to them referring you to others that do need the services you provide, or are a more compatible match.
Have fun
If you love what you do, it’s so much easier to provide great customer service. It doesn’t mean that your passion must be your work – after all, many people work to support their passion. That’s OK. If your passion is your family, or a hobby that doesn’t really translate to a career, or would become less fun if it became your career or something similar – awesome! But that doesn’t mean you have to hate what you do. Doubly so when it’s your business. If you don’t love what you do, think about what you could change to make it better for you. The more fun you’re having, the more your customers will pick up on that and they’ll find working with you to be fun too.
