GOOD MANNERS AND COMMON SENSE

For small business owners with employees, are there ways you can instill these principles in your staff? I think so. It's not rocket science. It's mostly good manners and common sense.

If imagining yourself in a customer's shoes isn't a powerful enough image, perhaps imagining customer as your "mother" would be more effective. In other words, given a specific encounter, how would you want your mother treated? Think about it.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

Good customer service also depends on setting EXPECTATIONS with your customers from outset--possibly even BEFORE they become your customers--and then consistently meeting or exceeding these expectations.

1) Clearly delineate your range of services--what you can and can't do. Remember, you can't be all things to everyone, and trying to do so will undoubtedly result in some level of customer dissatisfaction.

2) Let your customers know how they can access your services and when--What are your office hours? What about after hours? and when is email (or a phone call) more appropriate?

3) Provide an idea of your responsiveness--When a customer calls or needs work done, how responsive are you? Be consistent. If you routinely reply to emails within one business day, do this consistently. If, for some reason, you aren't able to respond as you traditionally do, let your customers know (for example, you're on vacation, away from office, etc.).

4) Maintain good, honest communication. If you can't do something in a requested time period, or aren't available, simply say so. It's not only right thing to do, it's good service.

5) Provide alternatives. If you can't meet a customer need, offer ideas for alternatives. This may push business to someone else, but you're certain to engender goodwill among your customers--and that can often result in return business and, at very least, positive word of mouth.

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Copyright (c) 2004 by Matt McGovern--All rights reserved.

Even busiest entrepreneur can send 20 e-mails each month and follow up with them. Schedule time on your calendar to do it.

Create an “elevator pitch.” Try to pare down your company’s products and services to a sentence or two. Start by writing down what you do and then edit. This is a great exercise, especially if you offer a wide variety of goods and services, to help you clarify your top priorities.

Most people want to try to throw in everything they do. For example, if you’re a landscape designer, you may be tempted to talk about turf, bedding plants and terracing. Instead, tell people “I’m a landscape designer. I help people create their own backyard oasis.”

If at all possible, get specific. If you are a graphic designer, be sure to add your specialties. Don’t just say, “I’m a graphic designer.” Do say, “I’m a graphic designer specializing in e-newsletters and interactive web sites.”

Cultivate your current clients. It’s much easier and cost-effective to sell an existing customer additional services than to go out looking for new ones. That’s what makes pitfall of having one big client so insidious – smaller clients that you are tempted to shove to side may actually bring in more business than your current big client if you give them same stellar products and services.

Schedule monthly meetings with your clients to find out how you are doing and to learn what they see on horizon for their own business. Show them how you can help fill their goals and dreams. You’ll be amazed at how much a couple of hours of your time will pay off.

Contact is most important element of marketing. If you don’t have time to do anything else, make sure you contact at least 10-20 potential or current clients each month. Doing so will help keep that business coming in and your company healthy.