Earlier this week, a member of the MeloTel team informed us about a diner located nearby one of his friend’s homes. He noted that his friend would often visit the diner for a particular meal but then stopped going there because he just couldn’t stand the person who took the orders. “Rude”, “snobby” and “stuck up” were just a few of the descriptions he gave of this person.
Craving one of his favourite meals recently, our team member’s friend decided to visit the diner once again. This time around, he was happily greeted by a new employee. This individual was “courteous”, “kind” and “friendly”. The meal was as delicious as he remembered it. But the experience of visiting the diner had vastly improved. Our team member’s friend has reported that he is back to being a “certified regular” at this diner.
The importance of excellent customer service should not be estimated.
As the story demonstrates, customers place a lot of emphasis on customer service. The type of service provided often determines whether or not a company will enjoy repeat business. Low prices, high-quality products, excellent services – these all play second fiddle to great customer experiences.
According to Daymond John’s Success Formula Blog, “when studies and surveys have been completed, they continue to find that a large group of consumers say that customer service is much more important than price To get the right experience, they are willing to pay more.”
Don’t forget that word spreads fast.
As the diner story showcases, stories about excellent customer service spread fast. Social media allow for thousands of people to receive the same story at the same time. This is why it is vital that you practice an excellent customer service regimen at your place of business. The last thing you want is poor reviews of your business to surface online.
“Customers frequently share their opinions of businesses online and through social media, which means even one wrong move or perceived slight – especially one caught on camera – can spread quickly and damage your business,” writes Lisa McQuerrey on Chron.com, “In addition to providing high-quality service, monitor what’s being said about your business online so you can quickly address and resolve any complaints as they arise.”
A great customer experience can change your company’s reputation.
Providing excellent customer service is especially important in the “handling irate customers” game. You’re bound to come across an angry customer every now and again. If and when this occurs, remember that you are being presented with an opportunity to wow an individual. That person can either remove his/her support for good or become very loyal. It all depends on how good you are at providing a great customer experience.
“Problems are always going to arise for any business no matter how hard you try to avoid them,” says Daymond John’s Success Formula Blog, “While you can’t run a perfect business with all the perfect customers, you can ensure friction doesn’t become an issue. If customers know that they can voice complaints and those issues will be handled properly, they will feel more comfortable doing business with you.”
For a dose of MeloTel’s brand of customer service, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
