It's an interesting topic to delve into, and I think you'll discover
that what you previously considered "good customer service" might not be
good enough any more.
It's almost become a cliche, hasn't it?
Seems like every website, television commercial, and even the sign
hanging up at your local supermarket is declaring the business's
outstanding customer service policy.
But what does that really mean?
• That they smile when you walk in the door?
• That they flood your inbox with "special offers" just for you?
• Or that they offer a money-back guarantee?
Maybe all of those things. Or none of them. You see, the term "good customer service" is pretty ambiguous. But if we can't define it, how can we hope to accomplish it?
For
newsletter publishers, good customer service is made up of several
parts. Firstly, there is the part that you're (hopefully) already doing.
You're hitting your deadlines on time and you are ensuring your
newsletters are reaching your subscribers on time each month. You're
proofreading your work. You're answering emails politely. And you're
acting in a professional manner. Then there are the things that are less
concrete, but which can really make your customer say, "Wow! They're
fantastic!" They're harder to define, but they're the things that will
get you noticed, remembered, and referred.
These are things like:
• Keeping an eye on industry news and forwarding interesting articles to your client
• Participating in social media campaigns by retweeting or liking Facebook fan pages
• Sharing content from within your circle of influence where appropriate.
Of
course, that's a simplistic view of good customer service. Now, let's
talk a bit about what you can do to ensure you're always giving your
customers the best possible service.
First, always keep the basics in mind:
1. Be polite.
From the first meeting to the final goodbye. There's really no substitute for good manners.
2. Follow through.
If
you promise to call a client back, send an email, or investigate a
problem on or by a certain time, do it. The last thing you want is to
earn a reputation of being unreliable!
3. Neatness counts.
Obviously,
the work you turn in must be flawless, but try to keep all aspects of
your business orderly. Invoice on time and without errors, and write
grammatically correct emails.
4. Avoid being over-familiar.
Generally,
there is still a difference between a client and a really close friend
so make sure your correspondence and phone calls remain professional.
Eventually, you might become close enough to exchange family stories and
pepper your emails with a 'LOL' or emojis, but let them make the first
move in that direction.
5. Don't make excuses.
Your
client doesn't need to know (and doesn't care) that you can't make your
deadline because your toddler is sick or your spouse lost his/her job.
Simply ask for an extension if necessary, and leave out the details.
Then there are the more subtle ways you can earn a reputation for providing great customer service:
6. Stay in touch.
If
you haven't worked with a client in a while, why not drop an email just
to see how their business is going? You're not asking for work here, so
don't make it an "is there anything I can help with" email. Rather, just make it a polite inquiry and perhaps a note about a great video you saw that relates to their business.
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