This morning was unseasonably cold for an early December morning in the southeast. Although I work from home, I still had to brave the freezing temps to get my little ones off to school. I absolutely abhor the cold so when I noticed my neighborhood Krispy Kreme sign alight with promises of hot coffee and hot, freshly baked doughnuts, I could think of no place I’d rather be in that moment.
The drive through line was long, but I had my heart (and taste buds) set on enjoying a steaming cup of coffee with a hot, sugary, melt-in-my-mouth doughnut. When I finally got to the window, the young lady working the window was so pleasant and effervescent, it blew me away. She seemed genuinely happy making sure each drive through customer was happily satisfied and I left the window happy and completely impressed with her friendly service.
As I drove back home I got to wondering why I was so affected by something as simple as receiving good customer service. Isn’t that something I should automatically expect when I spend good money on a product or service? Maybe so, but the fact is that’s seldom what you get these days. The phrase “customer service is dead” gets tossed around a lot, but I’m happy to say that it’s not and hopefully will never completely die away. There are certain businesses I am completely loyal to simply because of the service I receive. I’ve been fortunate enough to have clients complement the service I provide saying that they've had experiences working with writers who do not prioritize friendly, reliable service (Really? In THIS economy??).
Customer service is one area of your business that allows you to tip the scales in your favor. Statistics reveal that repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers, so clearly building solid relationships with existing clients is essential. Businesses that ignore the customer’s need to feel appreciated pay in the end.
Do you place emphasis on customer service when working with your clients?
Monday, December 6, 2010
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