Give exceptional customer service

Paulette Dunn-Smith, Contributor

Successful business owners understand that just about everything relies on good customer relations. This week, we look at a guide to help small business owners take care of their customers' needs and to keep customers loyal to the business.

1. The Personal Touch

When it comes to customer service, there is nothing like the personal touch for keeping connected to your clients. For example, a handwritten thank-you card or a telephone call gives the added personal touch over an email.

2. Answer the telephone quickly

Always try to answer your telephone inside a maximum of two or three rings. Be sure to give the caller your name and show a genuine interest in him or her. No matter how busy you are, don't give the impression that you don't have time to talk or are pressured doing something else. Every customer wants to feel special. If you can convey the fact that you are listening to them and understanding their needs you will help to generate a good feeling.

3. Always return telephone calls

If you use a voicemail message when you are unable to answer calls, ensure that your message is clear. Always state the date in your message: "Good day, it's Friday the 23rd ... ." Doing this lets your caller know you regularly check your voicemail and that his or her message will be heard. If you have the facility, use call-forwarding to send calls directly to where you are on your cell or mobile phone.

4. Do not laud it over your customers

Your business is not designed to be your empire. Do not laud it over your customers by playing the role of the "bigger boss". The customer always takes priority, not you the owner. It is the customers' needs and not your own that should be at the top of the list. Remember the old saying: "The customer is always right." Bear this in mind at all times.

5. Exceed your customers' expectations

Underpromise and overdeliver. If you promise to deliver products or services within 24 hours, deliver in less time. If you fail to do so, you give the impression of talk and no action. So adopt the opposite attitude. Don't promise anything you do not know for sure you can supply. It is better to surprise the customer by delivering products early or completing a job faster than anticipated than to let them down with a false promise.

6. Get consent

If you are not familiar with the customer, always ask the question: "Is it all right to ...?" You should seek the customer's consent before: (a) calling them by their first name and (b) disclosing their details to another party. This is good customer service that will keep your customers loyal.

7. Be considerate and understanding

In order to really cement a new and long-lasting association with a customer, show that you completely understand his or her needs. Be on the look out for any indicators that reveal what your customers want, and be sure to respond to them as soon as you can. Avoid using technical terms or industry jargon - you are speaking with a person, so you want him or her to be able to relate to you. Getting too technical can distance your clients. They don't need to know how it works; they just need to know that it does. Be sure to ask your customer, "Have I got it right? Or, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

8. Represent your Company well

If you use contractors, freelance agents, or associates to help run your business, bear in mind that your clients will view them as representative of your company. Anyone associated with your business can add to or detract from your corporate image. By using clear policies and procedures, and demonstrating your in-house styles, outsiders will quickly learn your company's corporate culture.

9. Recommend other businesses if you can't deliver

If what you have to offer doesn't quite fit a client's needs, feel confident to recommend another company that can satisfy them. This can work to your advantage (others will also look out for you). It is always better to make sure that the client gets what he or she requires, even if that means you don't make a sale. Your reputation as a caring customer-oriented firm will be enhanced if you display this kind of professional generosity.

10. Keep your eye on the way the larger firms operate

Keep yourself well informed about the ways larger firms deal with customer service.

However, don't be fooled into thinking that just because they are bigger than you are that they automatically get it right. Very often, the larger businesses become so large that they outsource customer-service work and, therefore, lose that important personal touch.

11. Feedback and Follow-up

Customer service is an ongoing activity which certainly doesn't stop because a deal has been closed. In most industries, business owners want to generate repeat sales and long-term customer loyalty.

12. Remember always to say thank you

These are two little words that are very important in business. Include a message of thanks on your letters or even your invoices. Say thank you wherever it is possible to do so. It is extremely important to show your customers that you appreciate their business.

Paulette Dunn-Smith is an international trainer and workforce development expert. She is the executive director Dunn, Pierre, Barnett & Associates Ltd. & chairman, Caribbean Career and Professional Development Institute. Contact her at pdunn@dpbglobal.com or www.dbpglobal.com.