Be Personal

At the end of the day, you’re dealing with people – it doesn’t matter whether you own a clothing store or provide financial services, it’s the people who need to learn and benefit from your expertise. Maintaining a personal relationship with clients and customers shows you care about them and want to help any way you can. Try to answer the phone rather than letting it go to voicemail. Return missed calls ASAP. Send personalized handwritten notes after completing a project or finalizing a sale to show your appreciation.

In the age of technology, showing a little personality, humility, kindness, and humor can take your business to the next level. And even if you don’t think you’re the most social person in the world, just a little extra effort like sending a follow-up email to customers thanking them for doing business with you sets the tone for future business opportunities.

Stay in Touch

Now that you’ve established a business relationship with customers and clients, stay in touch via email or direct mail. Send promotional opportunities, updates on business services, and reminders for future appointments so people remember your business exists. Create a monthly newsletter, blog, or simply update your social media pages often to reach as many people as possible.

One way to learn more about customers and clients is to ask for feedback. Create an online survey, conduct a short phone interview, or ask customers for testimonials that discuss their experiences. You can also ask for feedback via social media pages. Use this information to make positive changes and improvements or to gauge current operations.

Final Tip for Providing Great Customer Service

One final tip – Become a great listener – show customers your desire to understand their needs first; then move on to provide solutions. Ask direct questions that help you get to the heart of the problem. All too often customers and clients feel pushed aside or ignored because some business owners want to quickly address the problem, offer a solution, and get paid. Set your business apart by taking the time to really know what your customers and clients want and need – only then can you provide the best solutions possible.