Marcus RichardsIf you are a start-up company, it cannot be more integral to understand the makings of good and bad customer service. The customers, after all, are the way in which your company will thrive and develop. Bad customer service will lead to a poor reputation and will result in other, potential customers declining to do business with you. So what are the customer service mistakes you should avoid as a start up? Here are 5 which will help you make the right decisions going forward.
Invest Time Into Training
If your employees are going to be interacting with customers, then you will need to give them adequate training before they get started. This may sound like an obvious one, but so many companies make the mistake of offering an intensive training course before plunging their employees headfirst into the process. This results in an inexperienced employee attempting to juggle customers and situations which they are unaccustomed to. The experience for the customer, then, is going to be a negative one. Avoid this with adequate, constant training which will allow your employee to feel confident and assured in their abilities.
Listen To What The Customer Is Saying
Sometimes you are so focused and caught up in the bubble of your company that you fail to listen to what customers are telling you. Feedback, either good or bad, is always a positive for a start-up business. Listen to the customer’s concerns and ensure that you act upon it. This will allow the customer to feel valued and appreciated, whilst also improving your company as a result.
Try Not To Over-Promise
Another trap that a start-up will fall into is over-promising end results. Whether you feel like you can achieve what you are promising or not, it is never a good idea to make promises that aren’t based in reality. Doing this will only serve to irate the customer down the line and give them a reason to feel like you have underperformed. Be clear, upfront and honest and the customer will be far more appreciative and understanding.
Use The Human Touch
It is most likely that your employees will have scripts to follow when dealing with customers. Whilst these can be important for cohesiveness and professionalism, it is integral to remember that you and the customer are both human. The customer does not want to speak to a robot. They want a genuine interaction with another person who is there to assist and help them. Remember to use the human touch and not rely too heavily on the scripts which are there to assist you.
Be As Transparent As Possible
Customers do not want to feel like they are talking to a brick wall. As with any company, transparency is a positive that will endear customers towards you. Be honest about what they can expect from you and do not hide behind the scripts when things don’t go to plan. You are not only trying to attain and please customers, but you are also attempting to retain repeat custom. The way to keep existing customers is to show you are a company they can trust, and transparency about your process is the best way to achieve that.
Further, using www.incentivesmart.com, for example, who provides a B2B loyalty program, shows how a points-based rewards system recognises the kinds of actions businesses want to see which further communicates, very clearly, exactly what you, as a provider, and they, as a client, expect of one another. The expectations are transparent.
Customer service mistakes are easy to fall into, so make sure to take these points on board when venturing out into your business journey!
