As more companies lean towards computerizing and outsourcing, one thing that stays prevalent in the business world is customer service. No matter what your competition in an area may be, customer service and relations come to play huge roles in how a consumer rates a company in any field.

    Getting to know your customers and their preferences can help them recommend your business. Acting on those preferences can keep your customers happy and talking about your wonderful service. For example, contractors need to know how their prospective customer wants a new house or room to look. Asking the right questions can be a great way to find find out exactly what your customer wants. Start with a questionnaire the asks everything you need to know before starting the project. Get the customer’s buy-in with a signature at the end of the questionnaire. This allows you to start the relationship with proper expectations and will help your customer to get started on the right track. They may see you as both empathetic and understanding. Word-of-Mouth is the best advertising, and understanding your customer can make them feel good about recommending your service.

    Make sure you have a set of trustworthy and caring employees. You may not be able to do everything yourself, but assembling a good team that the customers enjoy can make your job easier. It is imperative that a customer can be helped with any problem he/she has during their time with you. Plan for mistakes. If a customer can’t find what he/she wants, offer a similar product or service that may be just as good for them, if not better.

    For stores or showrooms, customer service can be extremely useful. Stores often utilize employees to help a consumer find what they need, including certain styles, sizes, colors and other variations to specific products. Employees should know where anything in the store could be found, in case a customer needs a specific item. Unless the item is in the back room, leading a customer to it, rather than pointing, can be a great way to show that you care about the shopper, and want to help them in any way possible. Whether or not you pay compensation for sales, employees need to feel obligated to assist the customer as much as they need.

    Never be afraid to add a bit of eccentricity. Customers usually remember that little detail that sets you above the rest. This can be a change in anything from the decor, employee uniforms, ambient music, or the way you display products. Keep in mind that overdoing this can throw off customers and make them feel weird. Try finding a nice, subtle difference that makes you stand out. Sometimes this difference can be better for children of the customer. Young children don’t always want to be dragged along with their parents to do errands. By adding something the shopper’s kid would enjoy, you can make both of them happy.

To discuss how to increase customer service, and what we can do to make your business a fantastic, customized website, call us at 212-904-0020 to set up an appointment.