Improve Customer Relations
by Keeping in Touch |
Customer relations are key to your business. But as your company grows,
so does the likelihood that you and other executives will lose touch
with your clientele. You may let go of the individualized treatment
that you felt compelled to offer as a new business.
Many
companies even turn to outsiders to handle customer service. In an age
of 24-hour, seven-day-a-week
"If we aren't
customer driven, our cars won't be either."
— Donald Petersen, former CEO
of Ford Motor Company
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customer service, there's a growing trend — especially among
retailers — to outsource certain tasks to third parties. At
these off-site customer service centers, employees handle phone calls
and e-mails from as many as 50 different companies, often flipping
through scripts to try and respond the way the various firms want.
Think
twice before jeopardizing your relationships this way. Not only should
customer service be handled in-house, your company's top brass should
get involved on a regular basis so you can keep tabs on satisfaction.
When
you think of customer relations, think of how you want to be treated
when you have complaints. Think of Wal-Mart, which has staff members
greeting people at the door of its stores. The perception is that
Wal-Mart cares about customers, although
it’s unlikely that there are any more employees helping out
in the aisles than at comparable stores.
So
get personal. Here are five ways to add a special touch to customer
relations:
Follow-up. Call all your customers a week
after they've done business with your company. Ask them about the
experience and about what they want — and
don’t assume it’s what you provide. Identify their
needs, their
economic situation, the products and services they
want and the terms they would like you to offer.
Visit with
customers.
Let
them know your job is to make sure they're
satisfied. Your presence gives the company a face and makes your
customers feel appreciated. Being out on the front line also helps keep
your staff on their toes, inspiring them to give their best.
Knock on some old
doors.
If
you contact your former customers, you may find they loved your
products but went elsewhere because your billing terms didn't suit
them. Or perhaps they had problems with your sales staff or the
delivery schedule wasn’t met. The only way to correct these
situations is to uncover them. Some customers hate to complain. They
would rather switch than fight. You can imagine the havoc this can
cause on repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising. But if you
get in touch with them, they're more likely to let you know what was
wrong because they know you can do something about it.
Take time. Don’t
rush customers when they're
complaining. This should be a central element of a customer-relations
policy for all staff members. Listen to what the customer is saying and
act on it. A major complaint about customer service is that it's too
rushed, emphasizing speed over courtesy and know-how.
Adopt
a consistent approach.
Whether customers spend $100 or $100,000,
it’s a big deal to them. If they're unhappy, they want to be
heard. Treat them all with the same concern and respect. Small
customers and large ones are both potential repeat customers and
potential lost customers. A $100 purchase could turn into a
multimillion-dollar contract down the line.
In
an era of global commerce, it can
seem impossible to retain a personal touch. But it can be done. Train
your employees and show them by example. If you stay connected with
current customers and contact lost customers, satisfaction will grow
— along with your sales.
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