When it comes to great customer care solutions no business in the world should ever skimp or cut corners. The only thing that keeps a business in business is the customers that support them. Without customers, the companies that rely on them will fail.
Although there are some businesses that don’t rely on everyday customers to purchase products or services through them because they are under contract with other agencies, it is still important to remember that the contracts that they are under are liable to expire if the people paying the bills do not feel as if they are being taken care of.
Some People Just Want to be Heard
Regardless of the type of business that it is, and whatever the mechanics of the operation are, when it comes to people, treating them with respect is a must. Sometimes people just want to be heard and treated like human beings.
Although there are many consumers out there that do not have one ounce of compassion for the working class, there are many more who respect the workers and understand how difficult it can be to deal with customers at times. Let’s face it, all of us human beings go through tough times and the best that we can do is be kind to one another.
Customer service takes it a couple of steps further than simply being kind. A great customer service person will actually listen to the customer and try to find a solution for them in a manner that is beneficial and valuable.
Hearing a customer can help to:
- Understand the full definition of the issue
- Get a clear picture of the needs of the customer
- Determine the best course of action to assist the customer
It can be a bit frustrating when a person has a problem that they need help with, but the person they are explaining it to does not hear what they are saying.
In a nutshell, customers that feel as if they have been treated fairly will be more likely to return than when they feel otherwise.
Professional Customer Care Services
One trade secret that has been becoming less of a secret these days is to hire a third party to handle all of the customer care issues that come in. Instead of assigning individuals of the company to answer the phones or emails, and communicate with customers, many companies are hiring customer care professional agencies to take care of the needs of the customers.
One of the biggest advantages of hiring a professional third party to handle customer care is that the people that are handling the customers are trained and experienced in the field of customer care.
Whereas an employee of a tool supply company may know everything there is to know about tools and the kinds of tools that they carry, they may not have the slightest clue of how to handle an irate customer or a customer with special needs.
What better way to invest in a business than to invest in the very essence of the company that is going to keep its doors open for years to come? The customers.
The Ripple Effect
A great way to understand how important great customer care is is to ponder the ripple effect. Whenever you gaze upon the glassy surface of a calm lake or pond it is hard not to appreciate the calm stillness of the water. In any event, if you were to pick up a stone from the shore and throw it towards the middle of the lake you would ultimately cause a stir in the peace of the water.
As the stone hits the water it creates a wave, as that wave moves outward another one emerges, then another, then another. As those ripples go outward they become larger and cause an effect on the water further and further away from where the stone originally hit.
So it is when a disgruntled customer calls in to complain. There are a million different ways that a customer service agent could handle the call, but the best way will be for the situation to end peacefully and with grace.
- The call comes in
- The customer acts aggressively
- The customer care rep does not react
The customer service could act as a solid steel surface that the stone connecting with will not create ripples, but merely bounce away. A little bit of grace and understanding goes a long way. However, that same customer service rep could allow the negative energy of the customer to create waves within his or her own mood and lash back at the customer.
When a person that represents the company that a customer is buying from acts in an unprofessional manner the customer will automatically blame the company and not the individual. Even if the person answering the phone is a fill-in bathroom cleaner working for minimum wage, the customer will put full blame on the company, not the employee.
What happens with a situation like this is that the customer goes out and tells all of their friends that the company they bought whatever from showed them unprofessionalism and a lack of respect while they were trying to resolve an issue.
Not only is the customer unwilling to come back and buy more stuff, but they will also discourage other people from buying stuff as well.
Of course, it will take more than the opinion of one customer to do any real damage, but if the story is accurate, and the customer care representative lost their cool towards a customer, the rep will probably do it again and prove even more that the company can not be trusted.
Customers that Come Back
It is true that many customers come back more because they like the product and not so much the customer service. If the product is so amazing that nobody cares if they are treated awfully when they buy it, maybe it is a low risk to skimp on the quality of care that customers get.
Although this may sound like a great way to cut corners, the truth is that there is always somebody out there that has a product just as good, if not better. If they are offering great customer care and you aren’t…they will get the business.
What many successful businesses around the United States have in common today is that they build relationships with their customers and offer them a partnership instead of a mere source. When a paying customer feels like they are investing their money as opposed to simply spending it they feel inclined to come back and be a part of the success of the business.
Conclusion
Of course, the quality of the business is always going to be the most important factor for good stability, but caring for the customers in a way that makes them feel like they are part of the family is a great way to provide both high-quality products or services along with the type of customer care that brings customers back, and inspires them to tell their friends about how awesome your company is and why they should choose you.