Customer Service Information

Make An Action Plan To Improve Customer Service


Customer Service is a critical factor for keeping your clients coming back and ensuring they'll refer you to others. Growing your business will be a difficult task at best if you don't perform, meet and exceed your client's expectations, and provide service that creates customers for life.


Customer service is all about the customer's perception. You have to do more than just get the job done. You must deliver on all the things (big and small) that affect the relationship with your client. Consider opportunities for improvement in the following areas.


1. Setting/Reviewing Expectations. Do you work with your client to set clear, appropriate, realistic expectations that you can always meet or exceed? Are you clear about the responsibilities (both yours' and the client's), timelines, and expectations of results? Are you then willing to go back and review these expectations with the client at key points along the way?


2. Communication. Do you have mechanisms in place to ensure you're communicating with clients at every stage of the engagement, from the sales process through to completion of the project? Being clear about where you're at, what's been completed, what's coming up next, who's responsible, what results you can expect, etc.? Has the client ever had to ask you for these things?


3. Organization. Are you organized? Punctual? Reliable? When you show up to work with your clients, have you done the work and are you prepared to make them feel comfortable and taken care of? Even though you've done it hundreds, maybe thousands of times before, do you take the time to organize and prepare to make it the best client experience possible?


4. Committing to the Little Things. Don't ever dismiss the power of all the little things. Together they can make all the difference and really separate you from the competition. Returning calls and emails in a timely manner. Providing useful information to folks on a regular basis. Showing appreciation for your clients through things like thank you notes, exclusive client-only briefings, and open house, etc.


Clearly these are not the only relevant areas for creating great customer service. I'm sure you can think of more. But, pick just one of these areas and create an action plan to improve it in your business today. Make a commitment to continuously improve the level of service you're providing and see how it pays off. When you've done it, pick another area and work on it.

(c) - Kevin Dervin, KPD Marketing

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is focused on helping small businesses that are ready to grow, but struggle with how to consistently attract more clients. Visit http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com for more great marketing information you can put to use in growing your business today.

Find Kevin's Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.


MORE RESOURCES:

Sydney Morning Herald

Rail customer service: if you're Jewish catch a taxi
Sydney Morning Herald
The customer service manager at Central Station, no less. ''They're all Jews living in the eastern suburbs; they're all wealthy; they can afford to get a taxi,'' Roman Arnusch uttered repeatedly, according to the couple. The Bogans, who are Jewish and ...

and more »


Nexteer Automotive to open customer service center in Troy
Midland Daily News
Saignaw-based Nexteer Automotive plans to hire 50 engineers to support a new 30000-square-foot customer service center in Troy that will be open by April. "Following two record-breaking years for new customer contracts, this latest customer service ...
Nexteer Automotive: New Customer Service Center in TroyMyFox Detroit
Nexteer plans customer centre in Troy, Michiganjust-auto.com (subscription)

all 4 news articles »


Women like customer service at Scholfield Honda
Kansas.com
His Scholfield Honda has been recognized a couple of times recently for offering great customer service to women. On Wednesday, Forbes wrote about a survey that WomenCertified conducted last fall for Dealer Magazine, which Scholfield calls one of the ...

and more »


Local bank receives 11 customer service awards
NorthFulton.com
In the Middle Market Banking segment, Synovus Bank and Bank of North Georgia were recognized in four national categories: Overall Satisfaction, Relationship Manager Performance, Customer Service and Treasury Management. In addition to the four national ...



'Humorous' customer service workshop planned in Danville
WSLS
Considering the importance of quality customer service, the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce is offering a humorous, DVD-based training workshop called “The Guest” for members. This workshop will illustrate just how easy it is to offer ...

and more »


Lowe's to offer buyouts to some customer-service employees
Charlotte Business Journal (blog)
Inc. is notifying about 5200 western NC customer-service employees that they could be eligible for a buyout as the company works to cut staff in some segments of the company. Workers affected are located at both the Mooresville headquarters and a North ...
Lowe's gives incentives for leavingWilkes Journal Patriot

all 2 news articles »


BBB® Foundation Accepting Nominations for 2012 Customer Service Excellence Award
Wakulla.com
7, 2012) – Your Better Business Bureau® Foundation Serving Northwest Florida is currently accepting nominations for the 2012 Customer Service Excellence Award. The Customer Service Excellence Award recognizes individuals for outstanding customer ...



Customer service is in their D&A
Your Houston News
The Crosby/Huffman Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Feb. 9 for new member D & A Tax and Insurance. Derek Young and Aurelio Ambriz of Huffman are the owners. They opened in January 2010 and are proud to be locally owned and operated.



Rediff

In Customer Service Push, Microsoft Invests In 24/7, Which Acquires Voxify
Wall Street Journal (blog)
By Deborah Gage People who are forced to engage in online chats with virtual customer service agents–or who are passed from agent to agent without getting their problems solved–are likely to get highly frustrated and take their business elsewhere.
Microsoft strikes deal with 24/7, promises to 'redefine' customer serviceEngadget
Microsoft Teams Up with 24/7 on Customer Service SoftwareDestination CRM
Microsoft Teams up With 24/7 for Customer Service SoftwarePCWorld
ITProPortal -MarketWatch (press release) -The Seattle Times
all 58 news articles »


TD Waterhouse, Desjardins Bank and Steinbach Credit Union Named Top Customer ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
It remains clear that the banking and credit union industries, who consistently preach customer service, are clearly in disarray when servicing its general email inbox" added LaCoste. Surviscor has four response level standards, platinum, gold, ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006