Customer Service

Customer Service-
Customer service is a company's ability to satisfy the needs of its customers. When we talk
about customer service in inventory management, we mean whether or not a product is
available for the customer when the customer wants it. In this sense, customer service
measures the effectiveness of the company's inventory management. Customers can be either
external or internal: any entity in the supply chain is considered a customer. Network error
Customer service is the process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service.
Often, customer service takes place while performing a transaction for the customer, such as
making a sale or returning an item. Customer service can take the form of an in-person
interaction, a phone call, self-service systems, or by other means.
Most successful businesses recognize the importance of providing outstanding customer
service. A courteous and empathetic interaction with a trained customer service representative
can mean the difference between losing or retaining a customer. When problems arise,
customers should receive timely attention to the issue. Prompt attention to emails and phone
calls is critical to maintaining good relations. Requiring customers to stand in long lines or sit on
hold can sour an interaction before it begins.

Objective of Customer Service

Customer service is critical to competing effectively.
In the past, people chose which companies they did business with based on price, or the
product or service offered, but today the overall experience is often the driver.
“89% of companies now expect to compete mostly on the basis of customer
experience.”
— GARTNER RESEARCH
1. Customer service can have a big impact on your bottom line.
It’s often said that it’s cheaper to keep existing customers than to find new ones. (It’s even
been estimated that acquiring customers costs 6–7x more. ) And it’s true: Bad customer service
is a key driver of churn. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that 68% of customers
leave because they’re upset with the treatment they've received
2. Customer service can make or break your reputation.
It’s no surprise that as today’s social, mobile consumers have grown accustomed to getting
what they want, when they want it, their expectations have risen accordingly. In fact, in a
recent poll, 82% of CEOs reported that customer expectations of their companies were
“somewhat” or “much” higher than they were three years ago. What’s more, today’s customers
are quick to share negative experiences online, where they can quickly reach large audiences.
It’s more important than ever to support customers on every channel from day one and
establish what good customer service looks like internally and externally.
3. Support is an integral part of the product experience.
The line between products and services is blurring, and customer experience has become part
of the product or service itself.
4. Customers are willing to pay more for a better experience.
Focusing on the customer experience isn’t just the latest trend — it’s also smart business. It
turns out that making every touch point great doesn’t just make customers love you; it can also
increase your profits. Surveys have shown that 86% of consumers would pay more for a better
customer experience.

Eight ways to provide excellent customer service.

Work as a team
Listen and share
Friendly, empathetic support
Be honest
Improve empathy
Deep product knowledge
Timeliness
Identify ways to improve processes

Essentials of Effective Customer Service

Support customers as a team.
Listen to customers (and share their feedback).
Offer friendly,
Personable service.
Be honest about what you don’t know.
Practice empathy.
Know your product.
Remember that every second counts.
Improve as you go.
Proper knowledge about the product
Proper information
 Customer feedback
Product innovation
Customer helpline
Flexibility
Effective planning
Communication
Follow-up after a problem is solved
Admit your mistakes, even if you discover them before your customers do.
Get personal
Be available.
Give your customers a way to provide feedback

Strengthen your customer service skills

 Empathy, patience and consistency. Some customers will be irate. Others will be full of
questions. And others will just be chatty. You must know how to handle all of them and provide
the same level of service every time.
 Adaptability. Every customer is different, and some may even seem to change week-to-week.
You should be able to handle surprises, sense the customer’s mood and adapt accordingly. This
also includes a willingness to learn– providing good customer service is a continuous learning
process.
 Clear communication. Ensure you convey to customers exactly what you mean. You don’t want
your customer to think he’s getting 50% off when he’s actually getting 50% more product. Use
authentically positive language, stay cheerful no matter what and never end a conversation
without confirming the customer is satisfied.
 Work ethic. Customers appreciate a rep who will see their problem through to its resolution. At
the same time, you must have good time management skills and not spend too much time
handling one customer while others are waiting. Stay focused on your goals to achieve the right
balance.
 Knowledge. Ultimately your customers rely on you for their knowledge of your product. Stay
informed enough to respond to most inquiries and know where to turn if the questions become
too detailed or technical for you to answer. But don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” either.
Customers will appreciate the honesty and your efforts to find the right answer.
 Thick skin. The customer’s always right… right? The ability to swallow one’s pride and accept
blame or negative feedback is crucial. Whether your team works directly with customers or
looking for feedback on social media, they’ve got to keep the customer’s happiness in mind.
Why is customer service so important?

Anyone who is serious about making considerable headway in business needs to understand
why customer service is so important. It's not just for all the obvious fiscal reasons. It goes far
beyond that. It delves into the very existence of who we are and why we do the things that we
do. The way we treat our customers is indicative of the way we look at things in life. Are we
short-sighted, merely searching for the next pay day, or does our vision give us a deeper
understanding of the long-term implications of our actions? Clearly, if you want to make strides
today, you really do have to place the customer on a pedestal.

1. Customer retention is far less expensive than customer acquisition.

On average, it costs approximately five times more to attract a new customer to your business
than it costs to retain an existing customer. That logic on its own should highlight the
importance of providing excellent customer service. Why risk losing a customer? It's costly
enough to locate new customers in the first place, and every business should do whatever it
takes to ensure they stay happy and continue doing business with them.

2. Existing customers are more likely to buy for you than new customers.

Aside from simply trying to retain your existing customers for sake of it being less expensive to
do so, it's important to note that selling anything to anyone new is also far less likely. For the
most part, the probability of selling to a new customer hovers in the range of 5-20 percent,
whereas selling to an existing customer resides in the range of 60-70 percent.

3. Great customer service results in a reduction of overall problems.

By treating your customers like gold, you are sure to reduce the overall problems associated
with your business, sales and the potential for any legal issues that might arise. Treat your
customers poorly, and you can almost be certain that you'll run into problems at one point or
another. And those problems can oftentimes lead to the ominous and untimely demise of your
business.

4. Excellent customer service improves public persona and strengthens your brand.

If you're interested in public perception, your reputation or the strength of your brand, you
absolutely have to insure a high quality of customer service. Not only does this result in positive
reviews, but it helps to solidify you in the minds of anyone searching for your type of products,
services or information.
5. You're more likely to retain your customers for longer.

When you offer a great customer service experience, your customers are far more likely to stick
around and use your business any chance the moment arises. Even when it comes to ancillarly
services, consumers more willing to work with a business that they've had a great experience
with before than to find someone new.

6. Word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind of advertising that money can't buy.

You absolutely cannot buy word-of-mouth advertising -- the kind that can have a monumental
affect on a business. It's priceless. People are considerably more likely to listen to the advice of
a friend than they are to heed the guidance from some online review or advertisement.
Whether you're trying to make money online or offline, great customer service will create an
army of raving fans that will champion your business for you.

7. It improves employee turnover in your business.

Employees pay careful attention to how a company treats its customers. That resonates
powerfully with people. When they see an employer treating their customers like gold, it
delivers a sense of endowment, making them proud to be part of the team and making them
more willing to stick around. When employees, on the other hand, are taught to undercut and
discount customers for whatever reason, it does quite the opposite.

8. Great customer service opens doors for new partnerships and other opportunities.

Treating your customers like gold is infectious. It opens the doors for new partnerships,
especially when other businesses see just how well you take care of your existing customers. It
says a lot about a company and what they value when they care deeply about their customers.
It's something that you rarely find in business these days, but it most certainly paves the way
for powerful partnerships, collaborations and other opportunities.

9. It conveys strong moral values and beliefs in the company's mission.

Taking care of your customers conveys a strong set of moral values and beliefs in the company's
mission. It means that it's transcending the necessity for profits by focusing on building its tribe.
It also means that there are greater forces at work here than mere profits. It's indicative of a
deeper desire to build something of value, to help others, and to somehow, in some way or
another, change the world a bit by doing so.
10. It elongates the life of any business.

Today, only four out of every 100 businesses last through until the 10-year mark. That's a
massive 96 percent failure rate. When you ignore the needs of your customers, and you don't
focus on going out of your way for them, you're cutting short the potential for longevity in
business. With so many obligations and responsibilities, if you're serious about your business,
you have to focus on the core -- your customers. Because, without them, you have no business
at all.