Written by Field service professionals have to physically travel to a customer’s residence or place of business and deal with them face to face every single day. For this reason, people in service related businesses have to be especially mindful of how their interactions with customers can affect their overall success. Certain metrics related to customer service and retention can really make or break a business, and there is hard data to prove it.
1. Deliver a superior service
About 86% of customers have stated that they would definitely pay a premium for a better experience dealing with a service company.
For your business, this usually means things like being on time, organized, communicating clearly with the customer, and following through with the right result
2. Reputation is crucial
Poor service costs businesses about $75 billion in total revenue each year.
Internet reviews and social media have created a world where problems related to businesses will quickly be shared with multiple people. A handful of bad reviews or posts on people’s Facebook pages can cause customers to look elsewhere for the same service from a competitor with a better online image. Be vigilant on Google and other sites that become repositories for bad experiences.
3. Answering promptly and being available
Simply being attentive goes a long way and quick responses are correlated to better conversions, while long waits tend to alienate potential business.
Customers want to actually be able to talk to someone if they need to do so and receive a response within a reasonable amount of time. Never picking up your phone or answering emails can turn into huge red flags about how a business treats its customers.
4. Revenue increases with better customer experience
Companies with great customer service make about 4-8% above market average profits.
An investment in improving customer service will generally bring back profits over time. This means things like improving your image and presentation, or hiring an assistant that is always available to customers will more than pay for itself.
5. Participate in social media and other spots where you find unhappy customers
About 35% of all American customers will post negative comments about companies on social media.
Companies that actively answer complaints on social media and address a customer’s concerns are often able to turn them around into loyal customers. This means that you should go an extra mile to make sure displeased customers are dealt with.
6. Do not waste their time
Customer patience wears out at about the ten minute mark.
Most customers will not tolerate a service professional giving a five hour window for the time they “might show up.” Your customers may be losing their own money if they spend all day waiting for you or have to deal with additional problems. Make sure you arrive on time and get everything done quickly and efficiently.
7. Read their emotions
Happy customers will tell about 9 other people about their experience.
This is not as ethereal as it sounds. Customers are paying for someone who makes them feel good and appreciates their business just as much as they are paying for a service. Leaving a positive impression and communicating with them effectively is an important supplement to the work you do.
8. Retention is crucial to profit
A 5% increase in customer retention means over 25% more profit.
Small increases in customer retention can add up to large amounts of increased profits. Remember that keeping existing customers satisfied can be just as important as bringing in new business.
9. Apologize
Apologies have a number of positive psychological benefits that will stay with people.
On a related note to customer retention and satisfaction, apologies to customers after a mistake or when they are feeling unhappy with a service have been shown to double satisfaction. This is one of the easiest and most effective strategies to implement.
10. Know when to walk away
Even impeccable customer service will not increase loyalty with all customers.
This point is a little more controversial, but it is equally important for a business to not waste too much time or money trying to please a customer who is clearly being abusive or being unreasonable. Any professional should only do this as a last resort, but it is also important to allocate more of your time to customers who deserve it.
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Last modified: January 9, 2020
