How Great Customer Service Can Be a Powerful Marketing Medium

Is your business making a worthy impression on your customers? Does it greatly appeal to your prospective clients? Every professional knows that customer service is a great avenue to build trust and a stronger connection. So why is it that some business owners, who apparently claims to be getting it right, are still struggling in hitting their target market as is the majority in the virtual community?

freelance customer service

We all know that customer service is kind of a big deal. You know it. Your competitors most probably know it, too. Almost every small business knows it. But the thing is, just knowing that customer service is important isn’t the only thing. It shouldn’t end there. Is your knowledge about customer service far enough to encourage you to make a viable action? There should come a point where good intentions must turn into a solid action; when knowing is replaced by doing something.

Lots of small businesses fall short, without even realizing it. The need to provide great customer service is so apparent that any business owner can fall into the trap of taking it for granted. Yet without explicit focus on how — specifically — you are going to impress your clients, customer service falls through the cracks. The challenge lies in keeping customer service on top of the game.

Reputation is everything

More often than not, people talk. Not only does great service turn one-time customers into repeat consumers, it also increases the chances of your customers commending your business and endorsing it to friends, family, and colleagues. Imagine this, having someone who does the marketing for you. Isn’t it startling? That’s just one of the blasts that great customer service can provide to your business. Customer service should always be on the top of the line. Why would you put up a business anyway if not for the customers per se?

Conversely, you should also be reminded that customer service is a double-bladed sword. By that, I mean, it could merely work the other way around. Extraordinarily bad customer service will also get people talking — about how awful your business is and worse, how terrible you are as a business owner. It might be a stretch to say that your public reputation can make or break your business. But it’s not too far wide of the mark — especially in the age of online reviews and social media smears.

You don’t need us to tell you how to deliver great customer service. But here are some tips for making sure your offline customer service is greatly reflected in the digital world.

Tips to Ensure that your Offline Customer Service Rocks Digitally

1. Mirror your offline communication style

Your communication style can be a real differentiator. So it pays to keep things consistent. The way you communicate to customers online should be generally similar to the way you speak to them using a telephone.

2. Don’t leave customers hanging

Around five to ten years ago, some customers might have expected to wait a few days for you to reply to their email. However, in this digital era, that’s not the case anymore. 24 hours is about the limit, but the sooner you can respond, the better. This would likely be a great measure for customer satisfaction. Aside from this, you as a business owner must be engrossed in designing an automated email that is triggered whenever a prospective client emails your contact@ email address, informing them that their email has been received and specifying when they can anticipate the earliest reply.

Likewise, for social media interactions, aim to respond as soon as possible to any messages or comments received. Doing so will likely mark a positive customer experience, and will eliminate any negative thoughts or reviews about your business.

3. Frequently evaluate and monitor your reputation

Never underestimate the power of Word of Mouth Marketing, which includes online reviews channeled in social media streams. According to searchengineland.com, about 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This means that most people rely heavily on what others have to say. To cut it short: it really matters what people are saying about you in a virtual setting. Responding to customer reviews, even the bad ones, significantly shows how you seriously value customer welfare and reflects your high regard for turning a negative customer experience into a positive one.

Of course, working at the sharp ends of your business means you don’t have much time to sit and refresh various review websites in the hope of catching every message that’s written about your business. That’s where seeking virtual assistance, like the ones provided by Virtual Mom Freelancing Services, can come in.

4. Use social proof

Finally, make sure your potential customers know how great your reputation is. As mentioned earlier, people are most likely influenced by other people. Showcasing your built-up network can do the trick. By presenting how much of your existing customers trust you, you’ll likely increase the chances of engaging your prospects down to your business grip. One interesting way of adding social proof to your online persona is by including testimonials on your website.

Surprisingly with customer service, it’s often the little things that make the biggest impact. Think about the finer points of your customer’s relationship with your business. You can’t go far wrong if your overall target is to genuinely provide customer care and customer support all the way. And when you get it right, your customers are more likely to recommend your business. Great customer service could become your most compelling marketing tool.

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How does your business use customer service to stand out from the competition and build relationships? I’d love to hear your point of view! Send me a message.

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