March 2009 - Issue 59 - www.clareevans.co.uk

Welcome to all new subscribers.

Hello ,

Welcome to all new subscribers since last month, especially if you joined me through Twitter.

Well, I completed the Brighton half marathon, although it was touch and go whether I was actually going to do it. Having decided it was probably best not to tackle 13.1 miles given the limited training that I'd done, I was encouraged by the rest of the group to at least start and with the option that I could always walk it. I did run it in the end, well, a mixture of run and walk with several stretch stops along the way but I made it all the way round. Not exactly a fast time and the winning time was well under half my overall time but 2.32 wasn't too bad and at least I didn't come in last.

I've been putting together a survey for Mums In Biz a Sussex-based advice and training company. The survey will be launched on the 22nd of March and will be aimed at mum's in Sussex who are juggling running a business with their family life. You can get a copy of the survey (when it's released) by signing up on the Mums In Biz website.

As usual, keep in touch with what I'm up to and get extra tips from my blog  http://www.clareevans.co.uk/blog or Follow me on Twitter and keep up-to-date automatically.

Enjoy the rest of this month's newsletter.

Clare

What Makes Good Customer Service?

Whether you're on the receiving end or the one providing it, good customer service can make a difference to the relationship you have with your customer and clients.

Large companies can hide behind their large, global image and we don't necessarily expect 'great customer service'.

How often have you phoned up a customer help line only to be met with a voice response system, where you have to press a series of numbers before you finally get put through or end up on a help desk where they don't understand your problem or they're so busy reading from a script they're not actually listening to what you're saying.

Customer services help desks around the country must have to put up with disgruntled, dissatisfied and irate customers all the time but if they remain calm, polite, are helpful and do what they can to really listen and resolve the problem, they're likely to end up with a problem resolved and a happy customer.

For me, good customer service comes to the fore when something goes wrong. In a recent situation, a client wasn't getting what they wanted or expected from another company - rather than walking away and potentially losing money, they phoned the company, who were able to respond and deal with the problem.

Tell them. If something goes wrong or you receive poor service say so, so that the problem can be addressed. Explain what went wrong and say what you'd like to happen. A company that cares about its customers will take the opportunity to resolve the matter.

Bad news travels further.  While they say there's no such thing as bad publicity, badly handled it can be damaging to a companies image and brand. If customers have had good experience of customer service they'll tell a few of their friends ... maybe. However, if they've had bad customer service, they'll tell ALL their friends. After all, bad news is more interesting than good news. You only have to look at the daily news headlines to see that.

Good vs Bad.  We see the difference in levels of customer service in the retail and food industry. You know the type of place. They're more interested in chatting to their mates behind the counter, going off on their break or doing anything but serving the customer. In contrast, in places where customers are valued, the staff are polite, welcome you with a smile and acknowledge you even if they're busy.

Value your customers.  While everyone is cutting costs, a company that values it's customers, acknowledges any complaints and deals with any mistakes in an efficient and timely manner is more likely to retain customers than a company that is difficult to get hold of, doesn't respond and doesn't listen. Their customers are likely to go elsewhere, particularly if they have a choice.

Talk to them.  It comes down to the quality of communication. If handled correctly a drama can be prevented from turning into a crisis. When emotions are running high, it's even more important to ensure that communication is clear, direct and timely.

Own the problem.  If you deal with customers, take responsibility and ownership for resolving a situation, as long as you're in a position to do so. Don't make empty promises that you can't keep. Make it easy for communication to happen both ways and remember to listen and understand what the real problem is.

Take time to train. Give your staff the skills they need to do their job particularly if it's customer facing. Not only will they feel valued but they'll make your customers feel valued and they'll stay with you rather than go elsewhere. You can tell when staff have been properly trained to deal with customers and when they haven't.

Keep your customers and staff happy and your business will benefit.


You can find out more about ways to improve your business on www.clareevans.co.uk/articles.htm or give me a call to discuss your specific situation if you want to stay on top in these challenging times.

Until next month


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