 |
 |
 |
 |
||
Section:: Web Articles < Archives > |
||
Does Customer Service Matter Any More? Is it possible to get good customer service any more? I'm beginning to wonder. In the past week, I've had two horrendous, headache-producing encounters. It's left me wondering if most businesses are even the slightest bit concerned with ensuring their customers (remember us - the ones who make that big, fat salary possible?) are satisfied. Just today I phoned a large insurance company. The rep answered the phone in such a way that it was clear she didn't like her job and I wasn't on her top ten list either. Just in case I got any ideas about who was in control of the conversation, she cut me off in mid-sentence to collect some inane information. Sure, she could've waited until I finished my question, but that would've implied that she was there for *my* benefit. The heady rush of power could've made me feel frisky enough to actually ask her to do something for me - and we all know that idea must never be allowed to take root. I wrote her rudeness off to the fact that maybe she was just having a bad day. That happens to all of us, right? Sure enough, a little further into the conversation, she made it painfully apparent that, indeed, she was having a bad day. Quite possibly, the past few decades haven't been tops either. I wasn't helping things out any by calling to bother her with a question about the service provided by her employer. I mean, you'd think it was a customer service rep's *job* or something to answer the phone and help people out. How could I have been so ignorant?! Lest you think I'm being too self-righteous, I'll be the first to admit that I have my own faults when it comes to customer service, too. I've been late in responding to a customer's email, there have been times I could've given a more full and complete answer to someone's question, I've even accidentally deleted someone's voicemail message (they're probably still cursing me). We all make mistakes and we all have bad days, but when it becomes a pattern, you're in real trouble. A HUGE advantage small business owners have over the "big guys" is the ability to provide personal, customer service. If you're looking for a free way to grow your business, this is IT, friends. From personal experience, I can tell you that striving to make your customers happy is the single best investment you'll ever make. A huge percentage of my income is from sales to previous customers. As a small or home-based business owner, you have a distinct advantage! All you have to do is realize it. Think of all the dollars big business pours into personalizing email, developing sites that can be customized, etc. There is a reason for it. People like seeing their own names, they like feeling special and not being "just a number". You do, don't you? I gave you an example of BAD customer service above, let me give you an example of GREAT customer service - and this is from the biggest of the big companies: A week or two ago, I had to contact this huge company. I visited their web site and guess what? They actually had a link to their customer service section on the *front page* of their site! And there was their PHONE NUMBER - staring me right in the face! Hmmm...that caught me off-guard. I started to wonder if it was some kind of sick game they'd cooked up just to toy with me. Sensing some sort of trap, I played it safe and emailed them. Lo and behold, I had a response in a matter of hours! A courteous response that addressed my concern in full. I'll tell on myself now, too. I *wasn't* nice when I wrote to them. I'll spare you the ugly details. Suffice to say, all caps and exclamation points were flying. Surprise! The "problem" I railed on them about was actually due to MY mistake. Ouch. Did they seize the opportunity to detail all my flaws as a human being? Nope. The rep simply explained where the misunderstanding had occurred and politely told me to contact them if there was anything else he could help me with - oh yeah, and wished me a wonderful day. That type of service gains you lifelong customers and - I might never have the opportunity to say this again - if the big guys can do it, so can YOU! I hope by now you're convinced of the need to provide top-notch customer service. With nothing more invested than time, you stand to make big, big gains. Best of all, you can get started today! About the Author Jennifer Johnson owns jBanner.com. She specializes in providing high-quality banner design at a price small and home-based business owners can afford. All articles published on EthanCote.com are copyrighted by their respective author. They are not to be taken without the consent of the author. |
||
| Copyright © 2000-2003 EthanCote Web Design Ink. All Rights Reserved. | ||
| Home | About Me | Services | Clients' Case Studies | Reasons | Horoscopes | Free Wallpapers | Online Games | Contact Me | ||
