Have you ever had the unfortunate opportunity to get that phone call? The one where your customer lets you know that they have chosen an “alternate” way of doing business and it no longer includes you?
If you have, then your initial thoughts may have been “What more could I have done?” and “Could I have done anything differently to avoid this?”
Fortunately, I haven’t had that experience at ShiftWise, and I’d like to think that’s a testament to my (and colleagues) approach to customer service. Here are some helpful tips that I have learned along the way, to help in my personal goal to exceed client expectations.
Follow up and follow through
- Be consistent, contact your customers frequently and always follow through
- Schedule follow up times/dates within your calendar so the intent does not go overlooked
- When you hear a challenge or “pain point” that your customer is experiencing, provide a timeline to offer resolution; be sure to adhere to the deadline you set; never force a customer to initiate follow up after the deadline has surpassed.
Go the extra mile
- Don’t be afraid to “roll up your sleeves” and dig into the details; no task is too small, regardless of your job title
- If you don’t have a fix to implement right away, try to come up with a work-around in the interim
- If you can’t spend your own time on a task, then seek out an option for a colleague to assist you if possible
Listen and learn
- At times you may feel as though your “face time” with a client is limited, so you start a conversation with all you need to share or say to a customer.
- I have found that when we first listen to what the client needs are, you can extend the length or frequency of connecting with a client and walk away with more information thanyou expected.
- Make sure your client feels like they are being serviced and not only “sold to”.
Be accountable
- If you make a mistake, be FIRST to accept that responsibility and proactively communicate to your customer.
- Don’t create a “fix” and hope the client never finds out. Client Retention is based on honesty and integrity.
- You will find that most people are easier to forgive than you may expect.
Survey your customers
- Whether you formally survey your customers or check in with them by phone, query their level of satisfaction; don’t just ask them “how are they doing” in conversational chitchat, ask them “am I meeting your needs”.
- It’s much better to find out what needs improvement and to make an adjustment proactively, than in an escalated capacity.
Always take time to thank your customers for their business, not just in the setting of a formal meeting. Find ways to set yourself apart from your competition. When you meet a new decision maker, or manager, get creative and send them a THANK YOU card in the mail — not too many folks take time to do that anymore.
