CUSTOMER SERVICE - The Impact of Customer Service on Customer Satisfaction

The Impact of Customer Service on Customer Satisfaction

by Mitchell Holt, Demand Media

The phrase "customer service" might make you think of your grandpa's old hardware store, or a long line at local megastore with a grumpy representative behind the counter. Many think customer service is irrelevant to the success of a business, but, according to the Customer Service Training Center, one of the most important business traits is learning how to please your customers. Customer service is not dead, and you can set your business apart by making it a top priority.

Loss of Business

About 70 percent of people who take their business elsewhere do so because of poor customer service and lack of human interaction, according to the Customer Service Training Center.

Many of the big businesses in every industry have gotten too big to take care of their customers. They often hire outside customer service companies to handle issues and questions about their products. The problem with this is that these outside companies do not have a personal investment in the companies they represent, so quality of service suffers, and, in turn, customers take their money to competitors.

This is where you can capitalize on customer service. Picking up the slack where the big businesses fall short can make up for the lack of marketing resources and low prices that small businesses battle daily.

Repeat Customers

Businesses, no matter the size, should see every customer as a person making a conscious decision about where to spend their money. They chose you, so it's your job to keep them coming back. Providing exceptional customer service--from hiring knowledgeable employees to implementing a personalized complaints department--goes much further than having the lowest possible prices and less-than-adequate customer service.

Customers will return if they can talk to a real, well-educated person when they call your business phone, according to Small Business Software. Telephone customer service must be quick, polite and end with customer satisfaction. This doesn't necessarily mean handing out free stuff when something goes wrong, but you can offer partial discounts and gift cards so they will return.

Customers will return if they can visit your website and find a phone number and/or email address on the front page of the site.

Customers will return if your employees are knowledgeable about the products you sell--whether cutting edge technology, competitors' prices or where to find certain items in the store.

Customers will return if every single one of your employees seems excited about his job and turns that excitement into excellent customer service.

Word-of-Mouth Praise, Criticism

People don't often sit around talking about the quality of customer service at their favorite or least favorite businesses, but it will come up at some point. The downside to word-of-mouth information about your business is that people are more likely to remember and share a negative experience than a positive experience.

Giving your customer an unforgettable positive experience should be your top priority so they share with family and friends what they experienced at your business.

by Mitchell Holt, Demand Media