4 Ways to Provide Excellent Customer Service Providing excellent customer service is critical for any business that wants to succeed. Here are a few tips on how to build your business with customer service at the center.
By Nathan Miller Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Your customers' expectations are increasing. Experts say this is one of the top challenges companies will face in 2023. And in today's day and age, you might feel overwhelmed by the number of communication channels and platforms with which you must connect with your audiences. How do you figure out the best way to "show up" for your customer base?
In truth, customer service is what makes or breaks a business. It is the foundation for success and growth, something I have experienced first-hand at my company. Prioritizing customer service continues to be the best decision that I have ever made, as our cloud-based solution and, more importantly, our staff, is consistently recognized on a regional and national scale for customer service excellence. Our dedication to the client experience has greatly contributed to our tremendous growth. Below are a few techniques we've employed at Rentec Direct, which you can implement at your business too.
Related: The 3 Skills You Need to Build Better Customer Relationships
1. Identify your best communication channels
Communication is how you build trust with your customers. When you respond promptly, customers feel valued and respected. That is why it is critical to identify the proper communication channels that will resonate most with your specific audience.
You may be surprised to see that many customers still want the option to speak to a customer service representative over the phone. Speaking to someone in real-time provides peace of mind and gives the customer your undivided attention to work through issues together.
For some customers, email may be the most convenient option because they can ask a question any time of the day. Chat is also great for one-off requests that don't require a lot of explanation. It allows customers to get their questions answered in real time, and it's typically faster than an email response.
At my business, every phone call, email, chat and support ticket is addressed personally, and we guarantee a same-day response if received during business hours. We've found this value-add to your customers helps us stand out in a space where competitors place a lower value on personal connection with their clients or charge a premium for in-person contact for customer service support.
Related: 5 Strategies for How to Make Customers Trust Your Brand
2. Empower your employees
Employees are a company's greatest asset. It is important to offer your employees training and education on your company's values, products and services and your industry as a whole. They are on the front lines when customers have questions or need information. They are responsible for upholding your brand's reputation.
When employees are happy and engaged at work and also have the right training and resources, they will be confident to take on any challenge that comes their way. This is how you earn trust with your clients, which builds reputation and loyalty. Every one of my customer service team members has industry-relevant experience in real estate or finance, so they truly understand our client's needs.
3. Provide educational resources
Your customers will likely have questions during all hours of the day, and perhaps at night too — when your team may not be available. An educational database is helpful to ensure your customers get the information they need.
We offer a variety of educational resources, like video tutorials, webinars, blogs, and other materials for our property manager and landlord clients. Given their busy schedules, they need to be able to access resources on demand. It is a great way to ensure that clients feel supported and have access to important tools outside of business hours.
We also provide free onboarding support to all of our new software clients and share timely real estate news, trends, and advice on our website, blog and in industry publications to spread information and knowledge far and wide.
Related: 12 ways to deliver excellent customer service
4.Give your customers the time they deserve
Customers deserve your undivided attention, no matter the question or situation. It is important to take the time to understand and address your client's needs versus adhering to traditional cell center metrics, like quotas and call times.
Taking the time to listen to your customers' needs and preferences gives you the tools and information to identify opportunities for growth and innovation. It can also help you develop new products and services to meet your customers' needs. Handling all customer support in-house versus directing to a third party has worked well for us because it makes our service faster and more personalized.
Providing excellent customer service is critical for any business that wants to succeed. Focusing your efforts on effective communication, employee training, and resource development can help you achieve your goals. Make it a point to listen to your customer's needs, and you can improve customer loyalty and drive business growth. Growing a business can be hard work, but if you prioritize and build your business with customer service at the center, you will reap the benefits.
