Bizzalley's Business Q&A

Q)What exactly does good customer service mean to you?
Bizzalley's Answer-Good customer service means assisting the customer or client with everything he wants to know about your product or business in a friendly and polite way. The goal of this is to ensure that the client becomes loyal to your brand and repeat sales are made. Excellent customer service is one tool that can set your business apart by a long shot which would translate to sales and growth in the long run. Every customer wants to feel like a king and this is exactly what excellent customer service does. The client needs to know just how important they are to you.

Q)What's the difference between Customer Service and customer support?
Bizzalley's Answer-Simply put, customer support is there to ensure your product works fine while customer service is there to keep your customers happy and coming back for more. Customer support range from installation to troubleshooting to repairs and the likes. Basically everything your company does to ensure the customers can properly use the product or service they have purchased. Customer service on the other hand, aims at keeping your customers happy, they do not necessarily need to have technical skills but they take feedback from your clients, answer all questions and refer them to customer support if necessary. In recent times, the words are used interchangeably but it's important that you name the department based on what they do.


Q)What's the best way to deal with an angry or difficult client/customer?
Bizzalley's Answer-As business owners, we would always come across difficult customers, how you handle them determines whether they stay as customers or leave and spread bad word about your business. In handling difficult clients here's a few points you should note:
A) Stay calm, no matter how angry you get, keep your emotions in check.
B) Pay attention as they rant, be genuinely interested in hearing them out and don't interrupt when they're venting.
C) Sympathize with them. This is where being empathic comes in, make them know that you understand where they're coming from.
D) Apologize. Do not give a half-arsed apology, most customers can see right through it and
do not attempt to shift or trade blames while apologizing.
E) Offer a solution to the problem. Following the above tips will go a long way in pacifying
an irate customer.

Q)At what point should I take customer support serious in my business?
Bizzalley's Answer-Customer support can make or mar your business and should be given priority from day 1. You know how bad news travels like wildfire? That’s the same way news of your business will travel if your customer support is terrible or below par. Customer support is the first point of contact between your clients and your business and is basically what forms the impression your customers will have about your business. It is even more important if you are startup because you are relatively unknown and have to put in the extra effort to get clients
and customers to stay.

Q)How useful can customer surveys be?
Bizzalley's Answer-Customer surveys are a great way to know what your customers are thinking about your business. Do they want anything new? Do they like your products or services? Is there something you're doing wrong? It also helps you know who your target audience is. So yes, customer surveys are extremely useful, and depending on what you aim to achieve, they're an awesome tool if used correctly. Here's a couple of questions you could ask on a customer survey form.
* would you recommend our product or services to a friend or family
*how would you rate your experience with us on a scale if 1-10
*what's the biggest problem we could solve for you right now or what would you change if you were a manager here?
Try to engage the customers in the survey so they feel comfortable enough to share their fears and concerns with you.


Q)How important is customer feedback to my business?
Bizzalley's Answer-Feedback from customers help you know where you're going wrong and what you are doing right. Most businesses overlook this because they think they have the perfect business plan
and are trying to follow it to the letter. The truth is, without customers, your business wouldn't exist, so if you have 90% feedback saying you go a certain direction different from your business plan, then you know it's time to review your business plan, not stubbornly stick to it. Getting feedback from customers and acting on it, is one way to keep your customers or clients coming back again and again. Ignoring feedback from your customers could cost you the whole business - that's how important feedback is.


Q)How do I choose the perfect Customer Support Team?
Bizzalley's Answer-To gets the perfect Customer Support Team, you need people that have the right blend of people and problem-solving skills. You need to look out for people who understand what exactly great customer service means and how it can affect business growth. The members of your Customer Support Team should also be emotionally intelligent and be able to display the right amount of empathy. Look out for people who are willing to humbly accept responsibility for their mistakes and make corrections, you don't want someone who'll start up or engage in an argument with your clients. You also need people who can communicate effectively and who are problem solvers, look out for people who are quick thinkers and smooth talkers, you definitely want those people on your team. Find people who have these skills and you're on your way to building the perfect Customer Support Team



Q)Is the customer always right?
Bizzalley's Answer-NO!! Over the years we've heard the Customer is King and the Customer is always right but in reality, there are unreasonable and overbearing customers who you simply can't please. The Customer is always right is simply an expression which is supposed to tell your employees that they must treat the customers with utmost respect and give them the best service possible. However, it has been misunderstood by customers to mean they can be rude and unreasonable and still be right. As a business owner, it is very important that your employees know you are in their corner. Give them proper customer service training, then trust their judgement when they make decisions especially as regards unreasonable customers. When your employees know you value them as much as you value the customers, they will in turn value the customers and provide excellent services at all times.



Q)What's the link between customer service and sales?
Bizzalley's Answer-Customer service and sales are intertwined. Great customer service ultimately leads to sales and sales gives the opportunity for customer service to happen. However, without great customer service, there will be no repeat sales as the customer will most likely move on to your competitor. Also worthy of note is that one of the goals of customer service is repeat sales and building loyalty. It is quite important that your customer service is top notch or sales will definitely go down.


Q)What's the difference between a customer service representative and a sales
representative?
Bizzalley's Answer-The jobs of customer service representatives and sales representatives are quite different on paper but in reality, they are not so different. However, for better management, it's better if they are split and there are just a few distinct features between them. If sales are not made, there'll be no customer service to provide and if proper service is not provided, there'll be no sales so we can see that their functions are intertwined. The basic differences are:
a) Sales Representatives bring in customers while the Customer Service Reps only converts people who approach them.
B) Sales representatives have a Sales Target while Customer Representatives have a Happy Customer Target.
C) Dealings with Sales Representatives typically end after the sales but Customer Service Representatives do follow up and feedback process after sales.






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