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 outgoing messages on answering machines are upbeat and up to date.
• Reply quickly to letters, faxes, emails and out-of-hours answering-machine messages.
• Provide information immediately, or let customers know when they can expect it.
• Stick to what you have promised. If you say you will call back, do. 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.