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The relationship between a business and its customers is one of the most important in determining whether a company will succeed or fail. If a company is unable to treat its customers well, those people are unlikely to be loyal customers for life. However, companies that are able to create and maintain relationships with consumers may be the ones that grow and thrive.
Customers Deserve To Be Treated Well
When a customer calls to place an order or learn more about a product, someone should be available to provide as much information as possible in a polite and friendly manner. Once a sale is made, the product or service should be delivered on schedule and in good condition. After the sale is made, a sales representative should follow up with the customer to ask about his or her experience and what can be done to make it better going forward.
Having Too Many Customers Isn’t an Excuse
An individual customer doesn’t care how many other people a company may serve. They want their questions answered, products delivered, and feedback received in a timely manner. To ensure the best service for everyone who has paid for your products or services, a business should use customer relationship software.
This can provide information such as how much money a customer has spent and which products or services were purchased. It can also help a company see if there are any transactions in progress and if there is a need to reach out to a customer in the next few days. In the event of a recall or other issue, you can reach out to the customer before that person has the chance to become upset or otherwise react poorly to the news.
Angry Customers Will Tell Their Friends
If a customer is satisfied, the person likely won’t tell too many people about it. This is because no one is blown away by having their expectations met. However, if a customer has a bad experience, that person is likely to tell friends and family members. This is because they don’t want others to spend their time or money with a company that won’t meet their needs.
In the event that a customer is upset, make sure to reach out to that person right away. Special attention should be paid to those who have spent a lot of money on your products or services in the past as those people are the most influential to others. Investing in a customer relationship management program can help you determine the best way to reach out and resolve an issue before it gets out of control.
Nothing is more important than having good relationships with your customers. Building and keep the goodwill of those in the community can make it easier to find more work and to get repeat business from your target market. Investing in software programs should be one part of your efforts to treat your customers well before, during, and after a sale is completed.
Great article! Even though customers may not ‘always’ be right, we are operating in a relationship world. Customers have a higher expectation level than in the past. It takes more effort to keep customers than to find them, so keeping them, and keeping them happy are critical. Your point about them sharing disappointments with friends is so true. We all know how quickly that negative news can travel via the Internet and social media.
Well said, Terri!