By failing to take care of the clients we have, we cause ourselves a number of self-inflicted wounds. First, we stop the flow of valuable add-on sales and upgrades that we could have gotten; few buyers will come back to you after they've seen that you don't care about keeping their business. Second, we leave the door open for other salespeople to step in and steal the accounts away, simply by paying more attention. And, we actually make it harder to open future accounts, since word of poor customer service usually spreads quickly. Worst of all, though, is that we turn our careers into treadmills, forcing us to constantly hunt and search for new clients just to maintain any level of income.
Luckily, giving top-notch customer service is usually pretty easy. Here are a handful of suggestions to get you started:
#1. Don't make promises you can't keep:
This is probably the simplest way to avoid customer service problems, and the one that salespeople seem to have the most trouble with. Certainly, it can be tempting to say anything to close a new sale, but promising something you can't deliver will come back to bite you nearly every time.
Having to disappoint a customer is bad enough; letting them find out you didn't tell the truth is many times worse.
#2. Get to know your customer service support staff:
You're probably not the only person responsible for taking care of your clients, so it's a good idea to make sure the other members of your team are pulling their weight. Usually, spending a bit of time explaining what you need will do the trick. Not only can it help fill in gaps of information, but also by simply communicating with the rest of your customer service staff about your accounts you send the message that you're paying attention.
You don't want to lose customers and income because your staff doesn't understand their responsibilities, so spend some time being sure they know what's important.
#3. Pick up some product knowledge:
This one is pretty easy to understand: it's hard to help if you don't know what you're talking about. Learning about your products reduces the amount of time you need to handle customer service questions that come up, and as an added bonus, it's likely to help your closing ratios as you find new uses and features of what you sell. For that reason, it's well worth it for you to devote a few minutes each week getting product knowledge from manuals, sales literature, or even other employees.
#4. Spend more time educating clients:
In the same way, it's important that you take the knowledge you have and pass it along. When you complete a sale, make sure your customers know exactly what they're getting, and how to use it. An enormous amount of time and trouble can be saved by just making an effort to go over the benefits of your products one more time. Don't leave it to your customers to figure out what they need to know - make their lives easier by offering to show them personally.
#5. Show Your Appreciation:
As the philosophers like to remind us, it's all in the little things. A handwritten thank-you note, a small gift, or even a quick phone call can remind your customers that you appreciate their business. While that might sound like a customer service task, it's a well-known fact that buyers like to buy from professionals that they know, like, and trust. By showing that you're grateful, you increase their appreciation for you, which makes them less likely to feel like they're getting bad customer service. The bottom line is that treating your clients like they're important is part of customer service; so don't forget to do it.
Key Point:
Existing clients and repeat orders are the lifeblood of any sales career, and the meat and potatoes of a producer's commission check. Follow these guidelines and take care of your customers; do it well enough, and you'll build a base of orders and referrals that no competitor can ever take from you.
