Customer services is an integral part of running a business, and it’s even more important if you’re a smaller business with a limited number of customers that you rely on to float your bills. That means that going the extra mile in customer service is even more important.
There aren’t a lot of tricks in customer service. It’s about being there for your customers when they need them, answer questions and provide good information with compassion. But there are a few ways that you can go above and beyond and truly deliver the extra mile in customer service.
4 Ways to Go the Extra Mile in Customer Service
Be Accessible
There’s nothing worse than needing an answer to a question and not being able to contact the people who can give it to you. If you’re not accessible, you’re not providing good customer service.
You don’t need to go overboard, especially with a small team. You don’t need to be open seven days, 365 a year. But make sure that people know how to reach you and when they can. That’s a great start when it comes to going the extra mile in customer service.
When You Make a Mistake, Make It Right
Nobody’s perfect and mistakes get made all the time. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but when you or your organization makes a mistake, make it right. So many companies make mistakes and simply brush them under the rug.
It’s important that when something goes awry, you are in contact with your customer. You have open communication and you set everything right. If you want to go the extra mile in customer service, it never hurts to add a little something extra to the mix to make up for the mistake.
Give Something Extra
Speaking of throwing in a little something in, it never hurts to do this in general. Not only does this delight customers (who doesn’t want free things) but it also helps solidify their buying decision.
The something extra doesn’t have to cost you a ton of money, even a small gesture helps give that little something to a client. You want them to keep coming back for more, this is a great way to make that happen!
Take a Personal Interest
Taking a personal interest in your customers can be very effective when you’re trying to go the extra mile in customer service. This is especially good to do if you’re working in a more personalized service to begin with.
You don’t have to overthink this. No one is expecting you to know the names of all 16 of their grandchildren or goldfish. But knowing a little something personal and touching base on it, like their last vacation to the Grand Canyon, goes a long way.
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Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!