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Customer Care
1. Customer Contact
1.1 Every communication with the customer is a chance to impress or to disappoint.
As a start-up business, you will need to make the most of these opportunities.
- Answer the phone promptly. If it rings more than five times, apologise for the delay. Make sure your answer machine messages are upbeat and up to date.
- Reply quickly to letters, faxes, emails and answering-machine messages.
- Provide information immediately, or let customers know when they can expect it. Return your calls. If you say you will send a quote by Friday, keep to that deadline.
1.2 Concentrate your efforts on the needs of the customer - not on what it would suit you to sell.
1.3 Use your person-to-person skills.
- Greet your customers as if you are pleased to see them. Learn their names, and start using them, as soon as possible.
- Be polite, friendly and positive. Smile, make eye contact and look and sound enthusiastic. Speak clearly.
- Use physical contact. Shake hands. Do not be held back by British reserve.
- Show a personal interest. There is almost always time to discuss non-business matters. Be a good listener.
- Make sure your appearance - and the look of your premises - will convey the right image.
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