By: Tom Fishburne
Customers are the driving force behind business which makes customer service an unavoidable priority. Business owners must provide customers with quality service and attention to remain competitive. Often times businesses focus on new customer generation at the expense of customer retention thinking that growing their share of the market will result in a better bottom line. Unfortunately, this thinking isn’t always the best move because it takes away resources from supporting customer service efforts. Without a focus on customer service businesses give the impression that the customers are there to serve the business’s needs, which is a huge risk.
We have all had experiences with businesses that short their customer service programs in favor of new customer generation models. The cable company, the phone company, your local gym are some examples of businesses with this approach. They are concerned with bringing in new customers everyday, locking them into a contract, and then offering convoluted customer service solutions. The problem with this approach really lies in the brand image of these companies and the fluidity of the market. When I first started working professionally as an entrepreneur I was told by my mentor that if you don’t feed your employees they will eat your business. I believe this mantra can be modified to fit customer service. If you don’t feed your customers they will eat your business. What are some nightmare customer service experiences that you have had? What actions did you take after that experience? A powerful marketing plan, customer website, functional Wazala shopping experience, and social media traction can all fall apart if customers are not treated with respect especially in the digital age where one bad move can go viral and smear your brand across the internet. Give this some thought and let me know how you are planning to not only serve your customers but super-serve them.
