5 Customer Service Tips

Small home based companies are worrying about their businesses during this recession and are looking for ways to ensure their company remains successful.

Providing Excellent Customer Service - even when the customer is unhappy with your service or product - can be the easiest, least expensive way of ensuring customers positive experience.

Here are 5 Tips for turning unsatisfied customers into free advertisement for your excellent customer service.

• Set a Positive Tone. Make it clear to your buyer that you value their business and will work with them to resolve any issues. They’ll usually appreciate your attention to their matter, and be more willing to work out the issue with you.
• Start a Dialogue. Don't assume your buyer is behaving unreasonably. Problems are often a simple miscommunication. A customer may not have read your website note that “all orders are sent on Mondays” and could be expecting it sooner.

• Focus on the solution. Talk about the solutions you can offer to resolve any issues – not the tone of the customer’s initial contact. It may be satisfying to "give a piece of your mind" to the buyer if you think they've acted unfairly - but it almost always makes the situation worse and the customer may refuse to work with you to resolve it. Instead, offer different solutions so the customer feels in control. I usually offer at least 3 solutions
  
• offer to refund the item
  
• offer a similar item as a replacement
  
• offer a special price to upgrade.

• Don’t forget the big picture. Even when a customer is unsatisfied with your product they will appreciate the service and let others know that your company stands behind its product and values its customers.
• Remember customer service. Keeping all your customers (the good and the bad) satisfied is good business. Word of mouth is your best advertisement!