Tours Travel

What happened to customer service?

In the old movie Miracle on 34th Street, Macy’s Santa sends customers to rival store Gimbels in search of products Macy’s does not have. After a protest from management, it turns out that customers really appreciate this service and are becoming more loyal to Macy’s than ever.

Today’s retailers have forgotten that lesson. Everyone seeks to reduce costs. Customer service is no longer considered a revenue generator, which is why it is one of the first things on the cutting board when a retailer begins to tighten their belts.

Good customer service is good business. Create regular customers. Repeat customers are what every retailer wants because, from a marketing point of view, it is much less expensive to sell to an old customer than it is to attract new customers.

Retailers no longer know what makes “good” customer service. The general feeling is that if the product leaves the store and does not return, everything is fine. Customer service is only for “problems” and customer service’s job is to make problems go away at the lowest possible cost. The less interaction between the store and the customer, the better.

Superior customer service demands extensive interaction between the customer and the retailer. In my Internet company we look for all possible opportunities to contact and involve the client. Once a customer has placed an order, the company will contact them at least four times during the 4-week period between sale and delivery. The first contact is to acknowledge the order and thank the customer for their purchase. At that point, the customer receives information about the production and delivery process and is encouraged to call if they have any questions. A second contact is made shortly before production is complete. The third contact is made when the product is actually shipped. Right now, there is a detailed description of what the delivery process will entail. A tracking number is also provided so that the customer can track the product during the shipping process. The fourth contact is after delivery when each customer is contacted to find out if they are satisfied with the product or if additional follow-up is needed.

When we receive a request for one of our free catalogs, we send it along with a letter stating that we also offer free fabric samples and free design tips. When an order is placed, we acknowledge the order electronically and then send an email thanking the customer personally. We notify you when the product (in our case sofas) is about to be shipped. We notify you again after it has been submitted. The most important thing is that we contact the customer once the product is received to make sure that everything is fine and that there are no problems. By doing this, there is sometimes a minor issue that the customer might not have mentioned but that is distracting from the enjoyment of the sofa, for example a cushion feels too firm. We ship free, softer replacement cushions. The result is that instead of having a quiet but disappointed customer, we now have a very happy buyer who enthusiastically recommends us to friends and family. The cost of the additional cushions is a marketing cost.

The secret behind excellent customer service is simply putting yourself in the customer’s shoes. What would you like the company to do if you were the customer? Treat the customer the way you want to be treated.

1. Answer phone calls promptly. It’s amazing how grateful a customer can be when he realizes that he is talking to a person with real knowledge who can answer his questions.

2. Respond to emails and phone messages promptly. All email phone calls should be handled as quickly as possible, hopefully in less than an hour.

3. Be honest. It’s surprising how often salespeople feel like telling the truth gets in the way of making a sale. If a microfiber fabric already has a built-in stain protector and you do not need the optional spray protector, please inform the customer. Once you’ve saved them from spending an unnecessary $ 50, they’ll trust you completely and might even be willing to forgive minor glitches that may arise. If a sofa is not finished by the promised deadline, call as soon as you realize the problem.

4. Insufficient promise: If a delivery will take 3 weeks, estimate 4. Customers are often delighted when something is ready ahead of schedule.

5. Maximize contact with the customer. This does not mean sending frequent ads or spam. It means keeping the customer informed of the progress of their order until and after delivery.

6. Know your products and your company. If you don’t know the answer to a question, find out quickly.

7. Surprise and surprise your client, give him something he does not expect. This can be as simple as delivering your product a week early, or it can involve a free upgrade. This is particularly important when a mistake has been made and you are trying to correct it. Go further than your customer expects and they will go from disgruntled critics to enthusiastic supporters.

Retail stores have been cutting back on customer service for years. As competition grows and profit margins shrink, customer service is one of the first places you can cut back. Anyone who has ever tried to call a computer company for technical assistance and ended up talking to someone from India knows about the problem. Corporate bean counters forget that with good customer service you can get better margins. You are not required to fight over who can offer the lowest price. Also, it is better to work in a friendly environment. When you have happy customers, you have happy employees.

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