Working with customers is different today than it was just a few short years and even months ago and you must offer exceptional customer service in your embroidery business to stay in the game. In today‚’s world, customers expect to have a great customer experience with you and are much more demanding than they used to be. With the internet at their fingertips, there is so much available to them and they have many more choices today than they did in the past. It is to our benefit as embroiderers to offer our customers exceptional customer service and the best buying experience that we can possibly give them.
In this competitive market place you must you must offer better customer service or at least more customer service than your competitors if you want to stay in business. Unfortunately, this is a concept that is so hard to understand for so many embroidery business owners. Many embroidery business owners think that they need to offer the lowest price not the best customer service to stay in the marketplace. This is a total falsehood and I wish that I could abolish it!
Offering exceptional customer service can be the one area that can make all the difference and make you stand out from the competition. Not all customers today are shopping for the lowest price. They want to be treated with respect, and be shown that you really have their best interest at heart!
Here are 7 ways to help raise your level of customer service, and if followed by your entire organization, will change your business and give it a whole new life!
- Start Out Each Day With A Positive Attitude!
There is no better way to create an atmosphere of Exceptional Customer Service than to be very upbeat and positive. When you have a great attitude it is reflected in everything that you do, from waiting on a customer or getting employees started in the morning, to finishing up the day with your family. Everyone around you benefits from your attitude. - Always Wear A Smile!
Treating your customers with dignity and respect and always wearing a smile is the most important principal in creating exceptional customer service. This policy applies to direct contact in person, as well as on the phone. People can tell how you feel and know if you are wearing a smile.All of your customers should be treated as if they are the most important customer you have; it does not matter if they are a large account or a small one. Small accounts very often grow into large accounts.You want your customers to feel that you are a partner in their business success, and as a result, you will receive more orders from these same customers. - Have A Clean And Well Organized Environment!
Invite your clients or customers into a clean well organized environment when they visit your showroom or office. This goes a long way in making that first impression.Have your samples clean, well-organized, in top quality condition, and available for quick viewing as you are giving your presentation.Make sure that all of your samples are labeled with the information that is pertinent to that sample. Having a system in place makes your presentations more effective and creates a feeling of trust with your customer. - You Must Be Willing To Work With Your Customer-Give Them A Reason Why They Need To Come Back!
In the marketplace today, you need to be available and be willing to work with your customers in whatever capacity they are requesting. Today, the customers are demanding more and more from their suppliers in the way of services. If you do not meet their demands or wishes, someone else will. If this is not possible for you to accomplish, given your situation, you must let them know up front immediately.Sometimes their requests seem to be unreasonable, especially delivery dates, but you must deliver on time or ahead of schedule of the agreed date, in order to keep them happy and coming back for more. Customers become very unhappy and untrusting when they have to wait past the due date for goods they were promised. - Always Return Phone Calls And Always Respond To Emails!
When a customer or potential customer calls and has to leave a message, make sure that you get back to them in a timely manner. If you do not return their phone call, they will feel that you do not want their business. All present and future customers need to be made to feel important!
This same principle applies to emails. If a person takes his time to email you, you must be courteous enough to take your time and reply to that email. They do not care how busy you are; their time is as valuable to them as yours is to you! This type of customer service is expected! - Take Accurate Notes!
Take accurate notes when you are working with a customer in person, over the phone, or my email. Customers very often want to make a change in their order and this must be taken care of immediately, as to not hold up their order.You should have a system in place for this type of procedure, with forms to use to take the notes or make changes. Make sure that the notes get connected to the customer‚’s order. This is also true with email. If the customer sends you an email letting you know that he is requesting some changes in his order, print it out and attach it to the original order. Then you want to bring it to someone‚’s attention so that it is not missed. - Never Show Anger With A Customer!
If a problem or mistake has occurred by either you or the customer, never show anger towards that customer, even if they show anger towards you. It does not matter if they are right or wrong; you must hold your head up high, keep your composure, and talk to them in a manner that will diffuse their anger.Being angry does no one justice, and in business it is one of the best ways to create bad relations. I have found many times by offering the customer a bit more or giving the customer a slight discount that they were much happier, and I was able to smooth over a bad situationand build a better relationship with the customer at the end of the problem. They must be treated with dignity at all times.
Offering Exceptional Customer Service is not hard and is expected at all times! If you give all of your customers more than they expect and you will be greatly rewarded.