Every company will tell you customers are their #1 priority, but few walk the walk when it comes to delivering the kind of remarkable service that keeps customers coming back for life.
Customer service is important to an organization because it is often the only contact a customer has with a company. Customers are vital to an organization. Some customers spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars per year with a company. Consequently, when they have a question or product issue, they expect a company’s customer service department to resolve their issues. Customer service is also important to an organization because it can help differentiate a company from its competitors. For example, it may be difficult to tell the difference between two small-town drug stores, especially if their prices are similar. Therefore, putting extra efforts into customer service may be thing that gives one drug store a competitive advantage.
- The Best Customer Service Builds Trust
People will only stay loyal to a company if they have very good reason to. Otherwise, there is plenty of competition available they could choose to move to. As a result, you have to work even harder to keep customers and build their trust in your brand. By providing the best in customer service, you will increase trust, and that could mean the difference between customer loyalty and customers who jump ship.
2. Customer Service Matters More Than Price
Surveys have been completed; they continue to find that a large group of consumers say that customer service is much more important than price. To get the right experience, they are willing to pay more.
3. It Will Build Brand Awareness
Word of mouth is the most powerful ally you have on your side. What your customers say to others could make or break your business. When you provide the best in customer service, guess what happens? People will talk about you. They will remember your brand. If they hear someone else talking that they need a specific kind of company, they are much more likely to say, “Go to this place. They are great!”
4. Good Customer Service Reduces Problems
Problems are always going to arise for any business no matter how hard you try to avoid them. While you can’t run a perfect business with all the perfect customers, you can ensure friction doesn’t become an issue. If customers know that they can voice complaints and those issues will be handled properly, they will feel more comfortable doing business with you.
5. It Appeals to the New Customer
At one point, business was all about closing the sale. It didn’t matter how you got to that point. These days, you will need to cater to the New Customer. This is someone who expects to be treated as a person, who wants more from the experience, and who does not want to be just a number. Better customer service will ensure you are providing them what they want.
Customer service is vital to the overall health of your business. It takes so little effort to have effective, friendly customer service, and the benefits are numerous. With a little extra effort, your business can soon be reaping the benefits of top-notch customer service.