Here at Answer4u, we're always pushing how important customer service is. Whether it's how to handle customer complaints or managing everyday calls, we feel that customer satisfaction is at the heart of a successful business.
Of course, knowing how good your customer service is can sometimes be tricky and even if you're happy with how you're working, it's safe to say that there's always something to be improved upon.
Which is why we suggest that now and then, it's good to get some feedback and brainstorm ideas on what could be improved.
But how...? - Here's our simple customer service checklist to get you started
Ask!
Simple but effective. Whether you do this through a newsletter or by asking customers to rank you on an online poll, asking is the surest way to find out what you want to know. Many business owners are more than happy with how they're preforming and as such, tend to of let things tick along unchallenged. For the most part, that's fine, but a few well thought out questions can mean that things get highlighted which you hadn't even considered.
Remember, don't shy away from potential bad news, the key thing is improvement so go for the jugular and ask your customers what could be done better.
Talk It Over
No one knows what your customers want better than your team. As the front-line of your business, these are the people that engage with your customers most frequently and will likely pick up on a lot of the wants and needs that don't necessarily get flagged up. Set up a monthly meeting where any new concerns or hints that get passed on to your team can be discussed, as well as anything your team independently think might help with the customer experience.
Keep In Touch
This is especially true if you've had a customer complaint or issue. Once resolved (and in fact, during resolution) it's important to check in with the customer. If it's always them chasing you and the reason is because they're unhappy, then they certainly aren't going to become happier if your company appears not to care. A great many things can be made much better from the start if you make the customer feel valued through the entire process.
Show Some Love
It all comes down to being open to new ideas and considering what might be able to be made better. The easiest way to keep your customers, and bring in new ones, is to make sure you keep their interests at the heart of your business.
Next Steps
After going through our customer service checklist, consider exploring the advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing customer service tasks versus handling them with internal staff.
