Almost every company, whether they're big or small, has a customer service department - or at the very least an owner who wears the customer service hat on a daily basis. Small businesses can use customer service to establish a reputation and build up their business. Before you start laughing at the idea, let's take a look at the differences we see in small business customer service versus the customer service we see in the larger companies.
Big business tends to be more complacent that the small ones. The bigger companies become impersonal in their relations with customers. Call a big company with a complaint and you'll rarely get a satisfactory resolution. In fact, you might hang up before you even reach a human because they keep you embroiled on their automated system until you finally feel defeated and chalk it up to a lesson learned. Customers expect to be attended to immediately and will get really disappointed if taken for granted. A small business owner can offer personalized complaint resolution in a timely manner.
Policies can sometimes be a drawback. Unknown to many customers, complaints are subject to overt and covert disclaimers that are contained in company policies.
In many cases, big and small firms' treatment of customers' complaints is diametrically opposed to each other, with big firms' priority being their own interest and the small businessman showing more sympathy. In all your dealings and from the personal and business points of view, always ask yourself how you will feel or react if you are wearing the other fellow's shoes. Dissatisfied customers are normal, what is not normal is dissatisfaction after, and not before, a transaction which can cause irreparable damage to the business. Continue being polite, because even though you didn't meet their needs, they could recommend someone to you in the future whose needs you will meet.
Customer service is meant to help support the customer whenever they have questions or problems. When you address them as a person and not a case number they're more likely to come back and do business with you again.
Small business is better placed than the big ones when dealing with complaints. At the back of their minds will always be the thought that they cannot afford to antagonize customers. Big companies are used to dealing with a throng of customers and one individual is just a drop in the bucket and will be treated accordingly as a face in the crowd. Small business should make full use of their ability to give personalized service and customer satisfaction as it is a stepping stone towards building a reputation and provide the impetus for growth.
Big business tends to be more complacent that the small ones. The bigger companies become impersonal in their relations with customers. Call a big company with a complaint and you'll rarely get a satisfactory resolution. In fact, you might hang up before you even reach a human because they keep you embroiled on their automated system until you finally feel defeated and chalk it up to a lesson learned. Customers expect to be attended to immediately and will get really disappointed if taken for granted. A small business owner can offer personalized complaint resolution in a timely manner.
Policies can sometimes be a drawback. Unknown to many customers, complaints are subject to overt and covert disclaimers that are contained in company policies.
In many cases, big and small firms' treatment of customers' complaints is diametrically opposed to each other, with big firms' priority being their own interest and the small businessman showing more sympathy. In all your dealings and from the personal and business points of view, always ask yourself how you will feel or react if you are wearing the other fellow's shoes. Dissatisfied customers are normal, what is not normal is dissatisfaction after, and not before, a transaction which can cause irreparable damage to the business. Continue being polite, because even though you didn't meet their needs, they could recommend someone to you in the future whose needs you will meet.
Customer service is meant to help support the customer whenever they have questions or problems. When you address them as a person and not a case number they're more likely to come back and do business with you again.
Small business is better placed than the big ones when dealing with complaints. At the back of their minds will always be the thought that they cannot afford to antagonize customers. Big companies are used to dealing with a throng of customers and one individual is just a drop in the bucket and will be treated accordingly as a face in the crowd. Small business should make full use of their ability to give personalized service and customer satisfaction as it is a stepping stone towards building a reputation and provide the impetus for growth.
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