Introduction
Customers make or break a business and it really does not matter whether you are a private, commercial or a government agency. It is always important to have great customer service. Before you can even hear someone saying that "I prefer to go there because the service is fantastic," it all begins with implementing an effective customer management. Customer management is a vital lifeblood of a company.
Step 1
The customer is always right. How many times did we hear this line when talking about customer management? Although it is not always true as we are all bound to make mistakes, satisfying a customer is better than getting into an argument although this is really difficult to apply if you get overbearing and obnoxious clients. It’s all you could do from keeping that smile plastered on your face when you’d rather throw the towel in.
Step 2
Offering genuine service is part of customer management. And by that, it means putting on a real smile and warmth in your voice. Even if you are working on the other side as a client, you can also tell if that person dealing with your complaints is just complacent or is really trying to help you with your problem. Everyone could feel even by just relying on gut feeling, if there is a genuine desire to help or not.
Step 3
Follow up what you promised. If you made a promise to look up the product code or check when the next shipment will be, keep your word. There is nothing more frustrating than letting a customer wait for news. A satisfied customer will bring in more clients to the company and an unhappy one will drive business away more than you can imagine. Keeping your word and not reneging on an agreement is part of customer management.
Step 4
Keep the client in the loop. If there is a delay in deliveries or services, inform the customer promptly. If you have a website, a simple announcement will keep everyone informed and you will not be deluged by countless phone calls and emails asking what’s going on. That's what differentiates between poor or outstanding customer management.
Step 5
Customer service is part of a whole. Keep in mind that customer service is part of an entire organization. Customer management recognizes that each division in a company works hand in hand and not just one, from administration and sales to marketing and client service. Therefore, coordination with other divisions in a company is necessary for an effective customer management to take place.
Step 6
Keep an updated customer management database. Answering to a customer’s complaint or compliment is easy if you have a functioning customer data base. It is effortless to pull out the customers' details as well as their past complaints, when you just take the info out of your computers.
Step 7
Be proactive. There’s nothing more delightful for a client than getting a proactive and responsive customer service. It shows that customer management is effective and working. Instead of waiting for the customer to ask what should be done, offer solutions immediately. Don’t promise anything though that you can’t deliver as this will only turn disastrous.
Step 8
At all costs, do not lose a customer. Perhaps, this is a golden rule in customer management; keep a customer happy, add new ones, and bring back to the fold disgruntled ones who stayed away. You wouldn’t have to the chase after them if you don’t lose one.
Step 9
Employ staff who are people-oriented. Not everyone is cut out to be a customer rep. There are people though who thoroughly and genuinely enjoy interacting with all sorts of clients. They are crucial in maintaining an effective customer management system going.
Step 10
It’s all about the customer. Although this seems egoistic, a business is a business and the customer makes that business run. Therefore, making the customer happy and satisfied is a first priority in customer management and everything else plays second fiddle.
Tips
Training and providing the right tools to staff working in customer service are important aspects of effective customer management.
