Your Best Competitive Edge, Customer Service
What if I was to sum it up.
I don’t care what business you’re in. There’s one word it would be “Customers” there’s no business without customers.
No business can stay in business without customers. How you treat — or mistreat — them determines how long your doors stay open.
How Do You Get Customers?
The business term is “Customer Acquisition," plain and simple is getting business, but is it?
Customers are the lifeblood of any business.
With competition, why should they choose you? Your business is Providing Excellent Customer Service, it’s your best competitive edge.
Service will play a key role from here on. This is your ace in the hole.
Why service is it so important
Whatever business you are in, you’re providing a service. You’re asked to provide a service or deliver a product.
How you provide it makes all the difference.
How is this going to get you, customers?
Your first customers often come from someone you know, directly or indirectly, a family member or friend. They hear it from someone in your circle. Often referred to as word of mouth.
There is No Doubt That Word Of Mouth Is The Best Advertising
First, you will need satisfied customers to talk about you. You hope to get a great review from all the people who interact with you, your employees, and your business. Great reviews will attract customers who might never have given a thought to your business.
It’s The service they receive
The service they receive is what will have them talking.
Giving your customers excellent services is becoming a rear thing these days. Major corporations taking over every business, it’s now the best tool you have to compete.
The failure in large corporations is employee interaction with the customer. Too often, employees show little or no concern for the customer.
Too many employees don’t understand the connection. I understand why employers don’t explain the role of customer service and how it affects the business.
Why they fail to provide better customer service, it’s not that simple.
Often, an employee is trained in their role to perform a specific task and then thrown out on the floor and interact with the customers. Never spend any time teaching them how to service customers, the little nuances unique to every individual.
Developing good customer service skills takes time. It sometimes is inherent in some people they have a sensitivity to others’ feelings. They will go out of their way to help the customers.
Teaching this is not easy. However, if you have the time and help the employee understand how being more aware of the customer’s concerns can benefit them and your business. It’s a start.
Building connections
Building connection builds a business to last.
A sale is just a sale. Building a connection with your customers is making customer loyalty. Making them a repeat and becoming your best promoter.
Customers are people just like you. How do you want to be treated by a business when you’re making a purchase? This is the same for others.
Consider this:
- How are they greeted on their first contact?
Are they recognized and greeted with a pleasant attitude?
Or ignored or greeted with a sneer. This moment will create an impression of your business. What kind of impression do you want to make?
Warm and welcoming, showing you acknowledge them, and appreciation for choosing your business. Or feel you’re interrupting me, what do you want.
How do customers interpret your business?
Appearances matter in more ways than looks. Yes, looks matter that’s for another article.
- You only get one chance to make a first impression?
Your first impression could not be over-emphasized. Emotional connections are a key to building relationships with people. The feeling you get when interacting with another person. Unexplainable, but you know it when you feel it.
- How are you engaging them in a conversation?
Starting the conversation, you should convey your appreciation for them choosing your business. Showing them you’re interested in wanting to know them? Ask their name, who they are, and where they’re from? Showing you’re interested in them personally will help build trust. Trust is necessary for building all relationships.
- Don’t ask, have them tell you.
Don’t sell, have them buy. You're not familiar with this saying, you will understand this. People don’t like to be sold, they like to buy. They want it to be their decision.
Getting the customer to open up to tell you what they want to accomplish is the goal. Having a customer placing trust with their personal thoughts.
Getting the customer to the level of exchange is priceless.
Knowing what your customer is expecting from and after the transaction. Gives you a better understanding of their problem, putting you into a position to suggest some possible solutions.
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.
Become their hero
Helping your customer with an honest suggestion even if it’s not a product or service you provide.
Will pay in spades in time, “Paying It Forward”. Its real, how many times it’s been paid forward for you. Where would anyone be without someone paying it forward for them?
That’s just the start of it, this topic is only one of the many dynamics of business ownership.
The conclusion is the hardest part
As I think about summing up this article, the only thing I can think of, there’s so much more to be said. I’ve taken up enough of your time. Hope you’re thinking about how your business’s Excellent Customer Service is your best edge against the mega-corporations.
Your success will come to you in many different ways. Hang in, don’t despair, and don’t quit. Remember, “Do On To Others, As You Would Want to be Done On To You”.
Never stop learning.
Hope sharing my fist hand experience helps small businesses succeed in these difficult times.Thank you for reading hope your journey is filled with health, love, and happiness.
To a wonderful life
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