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Customers are the essence of every business. Keeping this in mind, companies should endeavor to provide them with quality customer service because failing to do so is an open invitation for the competition to win them over. It is important to put the needs of customers ahead of everything else by delivering great customer experience. Happier customers are more likely to return to your company. According to a survey by American Express, 7 out of 10 people said they would spend more on companies they believe provide excellent customer service. Taking this into consideration, here are some tips on how your company can deliver great service.

Know Your Customers

The first step towards delivering great service is to understand what your customers want, not only in terms of product quality but also in terms of service experience offered to them. Put yourself in the customers’ shoes and analyze the customer journey, understanding what they expect. Listen to them attentively and pay undivided attention to their concerns and preferences. For example, a customer who asks for further information on a product is hinting his/her interest in it. Engaging in active listening will instantly enable you to recognize that a buying decision will only be made once you provide him/her with further details. Remember that customers want you to pay attention and answer their queries. Similarly, conducting constant research in order to understand the likes, dislikes and preferences of your customers is important in order to deliver better service to them.

Always have a Helping Attitude

Imagine a scenario where your customer is received by a front desk representative who is casually leaning back in his/her chair, forgets to smile, doesn’t greet the customer and has a disinterested attitude. This immediately creates a negative first impression about your company in the mind of the customer. Your front desk should ideally consist of staff members who have a positive attitude and are enthusiastic about meeting and greeting customers. Train your representatives to always have a helping attitude and be attentive to clients. Having friendly facial expressions, politely nodding, empathizing and paying attention to clients are all small steps towards delivering great customer experience. Always show genuine interest in what the customer is saying and go the extra mile to help your customers. Always encourage them to ask questions and walk them through processes in which they require your assistance. Immediately get the concerned department to interact with customers who need further guidance regarding a problem or query which is outside the scope of your responsibilities or control. Never miss out on a chance to create a positive impact on your customers.

Solve Problems Proactively

When customers approach you with a problem, assure them that you will find a solution. Begin by asking important questions beforehand so that you can extract maximum information. Effective problem solving involves various steps. Once you have identified the issue, initiate the process which will lead to resolution. Keep the customer in the loop so that he/she is aware and satisfied that your organization is working on resolving the problem. Once the matter is resolved, ask for feedback from the client and see if there is anything else you can offer. Check and double-check everything to ascertain that the customer is fully satisfied with the way you have managed his/her grievance.

Follow Up and Follow Through With Clients

An example of a good follow-up activity is to summarize a meeting which you held with a client. It makes the customer feel better informed and allows him/her to clarify anything which may be a cause of confusion. You can also benefit by identifying loopholes which may have gone unnoticed in the discussion.

Follow through with customers to ensure that every transaction is seen through to 100% completion. For instance, a delivery restaurant which receives an order from a customer first ensures that the chef has prepared and packaged the meal in the expected manner. Next, the manager ensures delivery of the package to the customer. An effective follow through would be to personally get in touch with the customer and confirm if the order has been received and if everything is to his/her liking. Always take initiative to please your customers by delivering brilliant service at every opportunity.