Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing
How to Provide Better Service Today
Time and time again I find myself working with companies or individuals that don’t seem to get it. They simply offer poor service. I end up frustrated and look to take my business elsewhere.
Take the airlines – Everyone has a story to tell about air travel. Service these days is a bad as ever. How about retail? Ever find yourself looking for help from an employee – let alone one that is competent? Too many stores have cut to the bone and offer little service. If you have a problem and need to call your bank, insurance company, telephone company, or any large company service provider chances are you will navigate a maze of recordings and you will be there for a while.
Good service is free. Responsiveness is free. Making a client feel as if he or she is the most important person in the world, while not always practical, is free. Personal attention and service are key differentiators of the small to mid-sized business. People will want to work with you if you make them feel like you are working hard for their business. First impressions are very important, but consistency is the key to longevity. People are willing to pay you more because you provide more responsive service.
For the most part, the merchandise at Nordstrom isn’t any different than that of a lower-priced chain. However, Nordstrom is consistently able to command a higher price. People who shop there know this and are willing to pay for the “service”. There are more sales people, who also happen to know their products, willing to help you. At the conclusion of a transaction, it’s no coincidence that the Nordstrom employee will walk out from behind the counter to hand you your bag, shake your hand and say thank you.
Here are a few things you can do you help improve the service you provide.
1. Return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. I know this sounds simple. But if I do business with you, on average, I expect a call back the same day.
2. Have consistent follow through on commitments. Don’t leave things open ended. Finish what needs to be done quickly and close the loop. You don’t need a client asking you about a project that you forgot.
3. Be on time. Don’t be late to meetings or calls. It’s rude and demonstrates lack of respect. It’s also your first impression.
4. Be polite. Even when the world is spinning and you are losing control – be polite and positive. Always use please and thank you and skip the four letter words.
5. Always let your customer know you appreciate their business. Even if you don’t say those specific words, you can let them know their business is important.
6. Be realistic. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Tell the client the truth up front. You may lose the business today, but gain a client for life when they realize that your information was realistic.
7. Be an example to those around you. Your employees will follow your lead. Hire people who can provide good service and treat them well. Communicate the importance of providing good service and recognize them when they do.
These are simple things and can easily be overlooked. These basic behaviors transcend industries and jobs. I have had just as much poor service from highly skilled executives as I have had from less skilled workers. It really doesn’t matter what you do – these are basic behaviors that will help overcome other difficulties in a business relationship and command higher margins.
Make a list of these things and focus on them for 30 days. You may be surprised with the positive results you see from the change in your behavior.
Mark Feinberg
Managing Partner
Blue Jay Consulting, LLC
Mark’s career includes sales, marketing and management consulting positions with Baxter Healthcare Corp., Allegiance Healthcare, MCI WorldCom, and Cardinal Health Consulting and Services.
Prior to founding Blue Jay Consulting, he served as vice president at Cardinal, where he oversaw the continuum of consulting services offered by the company throughout the Southeastern United States. An active member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and trained as an emergency medical ambulance technician, Mark holds a master’s degree in business from the Johns Hopkins University.
Posted on Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 at 9:56 pm and is filed under Customer Service, Small Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
