Is Your Customer Service Up to Muster?

Customer service is what makes or breaks your business.  Whether you are just starting out or you have been running a business for a period of time, it is always a good idea to have a model you can use.  As a new business owner the model will serve as a baseline to forming good customer service. If you are a seasoned business professional you should make it a habit to periodically stop and reflect on customer service to pinpoint areas that could use improvement.

A customer service checklist is a great way to ensure you hit the ground running and stay on track as your business progresses.  Here is the basic foundation that you should always use regardless of the age or size of your business.

Ecommerce Customer Service Checklist

• Smile - If your customers see that you are relaxed they will relax too.  They will also feel that they can approach you with any issues or questions about your product or service.  Smiling also works well with dissatisfied customers who will calm down when they see that you are not getting upset.  If you work online there are many different creative methods you can use to demonstrate a smile when there is no face to face contact.
• Listen - If your customers know that you listen to them they will be open to sharing their feedback on your product or service.  Feedback helps you to better target the customer’s needs and improve your business as a whole.
• Establish a Connection - Use strategies such as email marketing, social media, and blogging to establish an ongoing relationship with your customers.  If they feel connected to you in some way or they feel like they are part of a community they will keep returning to do business with you and share their experience with others.
• Know the Customer’s Name - Have you ever thought you established a connection with someone only to discover they cannot even remember your name?  When you think of how you feel inside this is how your customers feel about doing business with you.  Make it a habit of addressing the customer by name.
• Deliver on the Promise - If you make a special offer then make sure you stick with the plan otherwise it is like the person that keeps making threats and never follows up on them.  You just don’t take them seriously anymore and you know that the bark is worse than the bite.
• Be Knowledgeable - If you are knowledgeable about your business and know your craft it shows the customer you love what you do.  It also tells the customer that you are a good resource to tap into when they are looking for more information in your area of expertise.
• Is the customer right? Educate the Customer - If you have ever worked for other business owners some of them will tell you to remember that “the customer is always right.”  This is not always 100 percent true because some people are not happy with anything they get regardless of how high the quality of your product may be.  The best way around this is to educate the customer from the get go and be “up front” about what the product will do and what it won’t do.
• Exceed Expectations - Promise something really good and the over deliver on your promise.  When you do the unexpected this is what will stand out in the minds of your customers and they will return to business with you and bring their friends along too.
• Request Feedback - Make it a habit of requesting feedback from your customers.  They will appreciate being asked for their opinion and it will help you to improve and grow your business as well.

These are basic rules of thumb you should always follow.  As your business grows you will become more familiar with customer needs and come up with some of your own creative ways to offer great customer service.