A good customer experience is much, much more important than an outstanding advert. It’s possible to quickly name a few large firms who learned that the hard way. There is tons of information on Best Customer Care Practices online and so we will not concern ourselves with that here at the moment.
We will post an article here much later. Look out for it:
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From the research available on various platforms, here are nine costliest negative experiences and how your customers react to them.
The Ten Worst and Most Costly Customer Care Mistakes
1. Lying to a customer or making false claims about your products and/or services.2. A bad attitude.
3. Lack of manners.
4. Arguing with a customer.
5. Ignoring a customer.
6. Too much talking, very little listening.
7. Lack of necessary information.
8. Using Jargon.
9. Denying responsibility.
What do Customers Do when they Encounter These Experiences
1. Dishonesty.A staggering 90% of customers – that is nine out of ten – will leave and never come back when you lie to them about your products or services.
2. A bad attitude.
You step into a shop selling clothes. The shop attendant looks at you from head to toe, and decides you cannot afford their products.
A bank breaking 73% of customers – that is seven to eight out of every ten – will leave and never come back if your attitude is foul.
3. Arguing with a customer.
There are few things that are worse than this one. It does not matter what the scenario is like, the seller can never get it right.
How to deal with a difficult customer:
• First, listen• Next, clarify
• Repeat the complaint so the customer is sure you understand
• Politely respond by offering a solution
• Finally, apologize.
If you are hot tempered, probably customer care/front office is not the best industry for you unless you are prepared to change your emotional hot buttons.
4. Lack of manners.
Closely following after a bad attitude is bad manners. The golden rules apply in life and they apply even more in customer care.
The use of the words “thank you”, “sorry”, “excuse me”, a smile, and greetings help significantly in building a lasting customer base.
Even when you do not smile, at least be helpful.
5. Ignoring a customer.
Although it is bad manners, it is highlighted because it is lethal.
6. Too much talking, very little listening.
The simplest way to talk just enough is by asking questions and taking an interest to really listen to the answers. Make an effort to respond to the specific issue the customer has raised.
A good 62% of customers will leave never to return if you subject them to a bad attitude, bad manners, ignore them, or talk too much without listening.
7. Lack of necessary information.
84% of customers will leave and never come back if you do not have the information they need to make a buying decision.
8. Using Jargon.
50% of “potential” customers leave for good if they don’t understand your services. That means you cut down your growth potential by half. They will also take their money to your competitor who explains things better.
9. Denying responsibility.
A mistake, a genuine mistake can happen anywhere in the supply chain. That is not the problem. The problem is denying that a mistake happened.
If not correctly resolved, 90% of customers will not come back and will go ahead to tell two to six more people about their negative experience. They also move their business to the competition.
How to correct a mistake when it happens in your business
• Own the mistake EVEN WHEN IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT. “We are very sorry we did this,” is a good way to own a mistake.• Apologise for the inconvenience
• Promise to look into it
• Look into it. Remember that looking into it is important and it will increase the opinion of the customer about you.
• And then do the most extraordinary thing. Take time to give the client feedback, even when what you have to tell them may not be what they want to hear.
• Avoid the temptation to be like every next business out there who lie they will look into it and then don’t. Be different!
If you avoid these nine very common customer care mistakes you will find your business growing. The growth is mainly because you are not losing customers, but gaining them.
When a customer is treated right, given excellent service, and made to feel valued, even when they could go elsewhere, they stay with you. A good example is Safaricom. It is funny to listen to people complain how Safaricom charges an arm and a leg.
But they continue to stay, migrate, and come back. You know why? Safaricom has both excellent services, and excellent customer care. Treat the one customer you have well and they will bring another and yet another.
How do you attract an endless stream of clients to your business?
The most important things in life are simple. In this instance, to keep more customers coming is the most important thing. Here is the summary:
1. Treat the ONE customer right.
2. Treat each customer as an individual not a mass body.
3. ALWAYS ask for a referral.
4. Treat the referrals right and ask those too for referrals.
5. Offer easy and affordable incentives to encourage people to make referrals.
6. Go back to number three. Repeat!
The KEY is in #3. How will this change your customer numbers FAST?
Word of mouth!
Although it sounds too simple, that is how some of the biggest names in various industries have made their mark in the books of history. There are numerous ways of specifically asking for referrals, but it is an important activity to add to your growth arsenal. We will handle that in more detail in a different series on the best income tips for marketing a small business and a start-up.
Articles in This Series
Two Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Business Growth
Why Your Business is Bleeding a Lot of Money Daily
The Actual Cost of the One Customer Who Walks Away
Additional Reading Material
How Bad Customer Care Costs Companies Billions: Click link to read articleAre You Part of the Billions in Losses Due to Bad Customer Care? Click link to read article
How Businesses Lose Billions Annually Due to Bad Customer Care: Click link to read article
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