| As cliched as it may sound, the customer really is | | | | Handling Complaints, Queries and Feedback |
| king. There wouldn't really be a business if there was | | | | Feedback is an amazing tool that can tell you exactly |
| no customer. The process of customer service and | | | | where you may be going wrong and what you can |
| customer satisfaction begins the minute you lay the | | | | do to rectify it. On the other hand if you just collect |
| foundation for your business and continues until you | | | | feedback and do nothing about it, eventually your |
| harbor the desire to keep your business afloat and | | | | customers will realize that you do not intend to do |
| make it profitable. A satisfied customer means more | | | | anything and that providing feedback would be a |
| business and by the law of networking, more | | | | waste of time. Introduce an effective feedback |
| customers. So, how do you ensure that you put in | | | | mechanism, acknowledge receipt of the feedback |
| place a well oiled system that takes care that no | | | | and thank the customer .Inform the customer that |
| customer of yours gets a reason to complain and | | | | you will act on the feedback and when you have |
| that your company delivers relevant quality and | | | | made the required changes invite the customer to |
| timely customer service at all times? | | | | come over to experience the difference. Retailers |
| Understanding What The Customer Wants | | | | need to be careful with pricing, exchange policies and |
| New business owners are sometimes driven more by | | | | offers. If you have policies that customers need to |
| enthusiasm than practical sense and tend to go | | | | know about ensure that they are displayed |
| overboard. Gaining visibility is important to a business. | | | | prominently or communicated properly. If you make a |
| But in the process if you go ahead and advertise the | | | | mistake in ticketing and pricing, accept it and give the |
| moon, customers are bound to come looking for it. | | | | customer the benefit of doubt. Having a customer |
| Make it a point to commit only what you can deliver. | | | | haggling over pricing at your check out counter is |
| What you should understand is that the customer | | | | never a pretty sight. Attend to complaints promptly, |
| comes to you with a need and expects it to be | | | | never ignore a customer and never procrastinate. If |
| taken care of promptly as per quality standards | | | | you are held up due to some reason and are unable |
| desired and expected without being given the run | | | | to attend to the customer's requirements, ensure |
| around. Customers don't come to you expecting frills | | | | that the customer is informed about it. Deal with |
| and fanfare. But if you have to provide it make sure | | | | difficult customers with tact and diplomacy. |
| it is not done to cover up an anomaly or a feeble | | | | Put Yourself In The Customer's Shoes |
| attempt to push an inferior product. If you can't | | | | Often business owners fail to see things from a |
| keep up a promise don't make them. On the other | | | | customers point of view. You may own a retail store |
| hand if you look beyond just selling your product and | | | | and when you visit an upscale restaurant you do |
| provide something when the customer least expects | | | | expect a certain standard of service. Similarly visualize |
| it, then you would definitely be inviting loyalty. | | | | yourself as your own customer, look at things from |
| Communication Is The Key | | | | a customer's perspective and plan to implement the |
| You might have a great customer service team in | | | | kind of service that you would expect yourself. It |
| place and you might hire the best sales people, but | | | | never hurts to learn from competition. It may pinch |
| they would be of no use to you or the customer if | | | | to learn that you are probably not creative enough |
| they are not able to communicate effectively. If you | | | | and that your competitor is better at customer |
| have been lucky enough to build a loyal customer | | | | delight, but at the end of the day if your customer is |
| base ensure that you take adequate measures to | | | | happy, then their ideas are worth borrowing. It pays |
| retain them. Imagine a customer's delight when a | | | | to listen to your front end staff. After all, it is they |
| salesgirl at a supermarket rings up a sale and the | | | | who interact with customers everyday and through |
| entire check out team gathers to sing 'Happy | | | | constant interaction, they come to know what the |
| Birthday'. There are a number of software solutions | | | | customer expects in terms of service and what |
| that help retailers gather customer's data which can | | | | bothers the customer about your existing set up. |
| be retrieved when required. You can be assured that | | | | Consistent, efficient and prompt customer service |
| all the friends and relatives would have heard of it by | | | | delivered by trained well informed staff through |
| the end of the day. The power of word-of-mouth | | | | customer oriented, practiced processes is the |
| can do wonders for your business. Keep your | | | | precursor to customer satisfaction, retention and |
| customers informed of promotions, festival offers, | | | | loyalty. Creating a brand image, winning over a |
| end of season sales and other such events well in | | | | customer and establishing a relationship might takes |
| advance. Mailers and pre-event phone calls will ensure | | | | months even years, but you can lose it all in seconds |
| that your turn out on day one would definitely be | | | | with one careless or thoughtless act .You need to |
| much more than expected. Retailers have been | | | | build a team with a mission to deliver the best and |
| known to organize a member's exclusive day before | | | | create an environment that can make customers |
| the sale opens up to the general public. Making a | | | | want to come back to you for more. Only then can |
| customer feel wanted and special can definitely add | | | | you sit back and claim that you are capable of |
| value to the relationship. | | | | delivering quality customer service. |