3 Keys to Providing Great Customer Service A great product is the necessary start but listening to customers and responding is how companies flourish.

By Melanie Perkins Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

When I launched my first company, at age 19, I had a dedicated phone next to my bed for customer calls. It often started ringing before dawn. Many of our customers were in other time zones. This second time, with my company Canva, I sleep until the alarm rings but customer service is still at the core of what we do. We've built the company from the ground up on great customer service.

Related: The Magic of Owning a Customer-Service Problem

Customer service is a critical part of our company and every company. Here are the key things I've learned:

1. Be Where Your Customers Are. Social media has changed the way companies operate. More people now expect to be able to engage with your brand online. Your content and customer service strategy goes hand-in-hand. Often users will ask product questions on social media. Make sure someone is available, around-the-clock, to answer questions. It makes a big difference to the way users feel about your company. The deeper your understanding of how social media works, the better.

2. Keep Your Customers Informed. According to a Kissmetrics survey, 81% of people are more likely to give a company repeat business after a positive customer service experience. Keeping users informed is the first step to avoid a negative customer service experience.

Related: 8 Keys to Award Winning Startup Customer Service

When a customer contacts you with an issue, they're hoping for a solution. Go over and above, keep them informed, and be up-front if you can't immediately solve an issue. Make certain they have a positive experience. The majority of customers say they'd prefer to access self-help information, if it is available. Providing a support center is a great way to do this.

3. Give the Customer a Voice. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has an empty chair in all his meetings. It provides a constant reminder the most important person, the customer, is not in the room. Keep that invisible customer in mind when you're making decisions. A customer-focused organization puts the customer first.

Great customer service requires effort from your entire organization. Integrate your support team with marketing, product development, engineering, etc. Have regular meetings to discuss any relevant support issues or feedback that is coming through your various customer service channels.

Everyone on your team needs to understand the importance of happy customers. Regularly share feedback from customers with the whole team. Sharing positive feedback helps boost the team's morale and keeps everyone focused on your users.

Customer service is at the core of every great company. It influences the way you design your product, how you interact with your customers and how your team functions.

Related: Why Stellar Customer Service Is Key to Building Your Online Brand

Melanie Perkins

CEO and Co-Founder of Canva

Melanie Perkins is CEO of Canva, which makes graphic design amazingly simple for everyone. Since launching nine months ago, the company has grown to 480,000 users who’ve now created more than 2 million designs. In addition to being a passionate entrepreneur, Melanie is an avid traveler and has backpacked around the world.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

'I Was Called Crazy': This 27-Year-Old's Side Hustle Hit $30,000 a Month in Under a Year — Now It's Worth Millions

Changing regulations forced Angel Rodriguez's jet ski rental company to shut down, and the young entrepreneur had to figure out his next move — fast.

Career

Automate Your Job Search and Get More Interviews for Only $40

Perform 50 filtered job searches a month and apply for 300 of them with a custom email.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Making a Change

Hot Tip: StackSocial Just Dropped the Price of a Babbel Lifetime Subscription

You can't become part of the global market if you can only talk to your neighbors.

Side Hustle

This 31-Year-Old Spends 2 Hours Per Week On His $3,000-a-Month Passive Income Side Hustle: 'Trust Your Vision'

Hansel Moore's home office "wasn't cutting it" — so he found another place to be creative.

Leadership

Is Desire Sabotaging Your Leadership? Here's How to Build Sustainable Success Beyond the Endless Chase For More

Leadership starts with understanding the forces driving us. Discover how embracing courage and logic over fleeting wants paves the way for a more fulfilling and impactful leadership style.