Disclaimer: This is a guest post. Revisions were made to improve the quality of the content.
When you’re running your small business, customer support is one of the most crucial things you should focus on. Satisfied customers can make all the difference.
For this reason, we wanted to post these 5 Useful TIps for outstanding customer service for small businesses.
Image Credit: iStock
Outsource Basic Support
On our ‘Top 5 Tasks to Outsource for Small Businesses’ video, customer support can be the difference between retaining customers or driving them away. But a full-fledged customer service effort is difficult for a lot of small businesses to run, especially when you have to do almost everything.
So, when it comes to basic support like answering calls, addressing minor issues, or even running a website, we recommend outsourcing if possible.
Related read: Five Tips For Successfully Hiring Remote Customer Support
From independent customer service reps, to call centers, to automated solutions, you may have a few options that will enable you to take advantage of professional customer service.
It gives you more time to focus on business decisions that can rapidly grow your business.
Image Credit: iStock
Offer Perks
On the surface, the idea of offering perks can seem expensive for a small business. But the truth is going out of your way to provide superb service can go a long way in making customers happy and loyal.
A Verizon Connect piece by Taylor Fasulas discussed customer service in terms of “going the extra mile,” and included the idea of perks — with the example of providing bottled water or mints to passengers in a car service.
It’s just one example, but it speaks to how small a “perk” can be while still making an impact.
Whether it’s a little treat, a means of providing comfort, or even a small discount on a customer’s next purchase, this is always a low-cost, high-impact concept worth considering.
Image Credit: iStock
Invite Feedback
Customer feedback is vital in today’s businesses. It tells you what customers want or what they think you could improve on.
Now, larger companies are able to gather this information less directly, through robust data analytics operations that tell them everything they need to know about their customers. And it can be costly.
A small business doesn’t necessarily have that capability, but gathering feedback is still a must. Megan Totka wrote about the topic for SmallBizDaily and pointed out various methods for collecting feedback, including surveys, emails and contact forms, online reviews, and comment boxes, among others.
Image Credit: iStoc
Collect Customer Information
Alongside inviting feedback, you should understand who your customer is. You can collect information about customers so that you can at least set up limited profiles for them.
Knowing basic information such as purchase history, stated preferences, or how often they visit can give you insight that might come in handy and make customers feel seen and cared for.
Related read: Ten Customer Service KPI’s You Should Keep An Eye On (And How to Act on Them)
Embracing these options can give you invaluable insight into your own customer base.
Image Credit: iStock
Consider Interpersonal Skills When Hiring
Finally, remember that it’s not all about strategy and information. Sometimes, good customer service just comes down to making a good impression! It’s for this reason that you should consider interpersonal skills when hiring.
The benefits of this idea are perhaps most clearly on display in the restaurant industry. Consider Clarissa Cruz’s write-up on restaurant hosts for Inc., in which she surveyed chefs and restaurant directors about the qualities they value. Over and over again, answers included various takes on grace, wit, confidence, and even great smiles.
Indeed hosts who demonstrate these qualities can often make a restaurant feel successful and inviting, and to some extent, the same is true of any business. Hiring people who can make others feel welcome, and generate a positive atmosphere, can go a very long way.
Conclusion
With the tips above, I hope you can build your customer base with outstanding customer service!
Article was exclusively written for remotestaff.com.au
Authored by Rita Jamilla
Leandro is a content creator and digital nomad who started his career as a remote working content writer. He is an advocate of location independent sources of income. And he believes that everyone has the ability to be one as well. If you have any content requests and suggestions, feel free to email him at leandro@remotestaff.com.
