It doesn’t matter if you are serving your small business customers online or in a store, there are 10 things that go to making up exceptional customer service. Here are the 10 commandments your customers wish your team knew.
It doesn’t matter if you are serving customers online in your first website or in a store, there are 10 things that go to making up exceptional customer service.
Here are the 10 commandments your customers wish you would abide by.
Feel free to pick up a chisel and a stone tablet at Bunnings to engrave them for your team.
1. Thou shalt not make me search for information
A large part of any business is providing information to customers. This information helps customers decide what to purchase or how to get the best out of the product or service. Don’t make information hard to find or hidden behind paywalls. Provide as much information as you can online and make it easy to locate – Don’t hide the secret sauce!
2. Thou shalt tell me what I need to know (or do) in a timely way using a format I can understand
Not everyone wants information in the same way. Some customers want information in print form while others prefer digital. Some want information pushed to them, while others want to access the information at a time of their choosing. Find out your customers preferences and adjust your communication method accordingly.
3. Thou shalt deliver what you say you will – when you say you will do it
If you make a promise to a customer, then you need to deliver on the promise. If you find you are missing the mark on your promises, then you need to rethink your business delivery model.
4. Thou shalt value me and my time
Your customers all have busy lives. Don’t waste their time with unnecessary waiting or stuffing around. One of the deepest human needs is to feel important and cared about and you can do that by valuing their time and by listening to their needs.
5. Thou shalt not make me fill in unnecessary paperwork
“I love filling in forms”, said no one ever. Minimise the number of fields or forms that people have to fill in, and pre-populate as much information as possible if you need to have a form completed.
6. Thou shalt give me integrated solutions not just your personal solutions
Customers hate having to make multiple visits and payments to different parts of an organisation. If you want to give exceptional service, talk to all the parts of your organisation and provide your customers with a seamless service.
7. Thou shalt give me choices and options that respect my needs
One size does not fit all. Understand the differing needs of your customers and create a variety of options that they can choose to create a solution that meets their needs.
8. Thou shalt make it easy for me to pay you and deliver value for money
Allow different ways for customers to pay for your services. The more convenient and easy you can make it through providing a variety of payment options, the better customer experience they will have.
9. Thou shalt solve my problem the first time without passing me around, passing the buck or shifting the blame
If a customer has a problem they generally don’t really care who is at fault – they just want it fixed. Have an effective complaints process that allows any problems or complaints to be handled promptly and customers kept fully informed of the outcomes.
10. Thou shalt make every conversation with me friendly and efficient
Building personal relationships starts with a smile. Make every conversation and face-to-face contact count. Keep it friendly and professional – delivered by a team that “knows their stuff”.
And whatever you do – don’t yell at your customers through your marketing tactics. Yelling is not friendly or efficient!
