Revising one or more strategies to elevate your brand, reputation, and business dominance position is always possible. But one underlying factor affects everything: The willingness to improve customer care for growth.
Sales Depend Upon Customer Care Excellence
As a former salesperson, I would ask each new prospective client how they prefer to work with their sales representatives and what standout qualities they seek from the salesperson and the company itself.
My question set my prospects back on their heels in complete surprise. Uniformly, I heard, ‘No one ever asked that question before!’ The result was that 99% gladly answered my question for me to realize how I might best serve them. Sales is about being of service, not being.
Through the years, one company has made admirable strides in growth—my perception is it’s mainly due to its client loyalty. Updating ourselves on the news, researching the stock of companies that catch our attention, and experiencing the opposite of excellent client service indicate why only some companies stand out as well as they do.
Policies Empowering Company Brands
- Customers first.
- Fair pricing.
- Quality product selection.
- Notifications without being pushy.
- Follow up after the sale.
- Return policy in place.
- Customer Care Excellence demonstrates their willingness to resolve an issue.
Two Roads Intersect: Uphill and Downhill
Companies will frequently partner to ensure a 360-degree customer care response to ensure satisfaction. But sometimes, customers can sense and experience a disconnect between companies, making them feel caught in the middle.
Actions Speak Louder than Words.
Upon making a necessary but not inexpensive purchase from a favorite supplier along with installation service, I experienced the two-road intersection. The delivery was timely, but the service stopped there for me to realize the intersection of the two roads.
The person delivering the product relayed that the installers would call to make an appointment, but that has yet to happen. Upon attempting to contact the service company, I was instructed to select a number, and then the next, the next, and another to be transferred back to the same system, beginning anew.
The necessity to visit the company supplying the appliance was apparent. Their customer service has a direct number that is unavailable online, nor is it privy to customers. However, the representative kindly dialed for me and then handed the phone over to me.
Slippery Slope
Upon calling, the administrator said, “I’ll put you on a brief hold for a technician to speak with you.’ After ten minutes on hold, I asked the in-person representative if she needed the phone back, and she politely said, ‘No.’ And it took another ten minutes for the phone administrator to return to the line. The response was, ‘Someone will call you on Friday,’ After all that time, I was still unable to set an appointment.
Accountability
Companies and staff must realize they are held accountable when transacting business and need to own up to their errors. If I ever intend to purchase another appliance from my favorite company, I will do my due diligence upfront to learn the name of the company supposedly servicing the products. If it’s the same, I will purchase it elsewhere.
Your Story: Improve Customer Care for Growth
Listening carefully and asking questions will put you on a better path for successfully moving forward. When speaking with clientele, first inquire what caught their interest upfront to spend time with you. And then delve deeper to uncover their needs, wants, and desires and whether these have been satisfied. If yes, ask if there is an issue today or a reason for changing suppliers.
Use your questions to encourage deeper conversation and gradually drift into sharing experiences and potentially laughable stories. The heart and mind connection has a representative and a company that stands out from the crowded playing field. Accordingly, your prospects realize you may well be the one to take good care of them.
In Conclusion: Improve Customer Care for Growth
All companies must strive to improve customer care for continual growth. While I still will be loyal in general to the company I refer to above, I will not accept poor service attached to a product in question. Loyalty produces rave testimonials and reviews online and in-person that will account for the lack of or increase in sales. It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure they are on the right growth path.
Related: Will You Focus on the Year-End Rush?