Keep in touch!

At one time, the idea of customer service might have referred only to a department within an organization, but today companies have learned that fostering true customer satisfaction is a team effort. A single error committed by an employee during the course of interacting with a customer can lead to the loss of the client and, if you are unlucky, several others as well – an exponential effect resulting from the magnified voice of one unsatisfied customer.

For more than fifteen years, it’s been said that an unhappy customer will tell ten of their friends about their negative experience. Now, with social media, this number can easily be multiplied by 25!

Here are some statistics showing how individuals aged 25-34 spread the word about their customer service experiences*:

When they receive good service:
57% tell their friends
28% post their experience on Facebook
18% review the experience online

When they receive poor service:
60% tell their friends
31% post their experience on Facebook
20% review the experience online

When all age categories are combined, 67.4% of internet users – more than two-thirds – consult online reviews about a company, product or service before making a purchase, regardless of whether they plan to buy online or not

The importance of paying attention

Ask yourself: Do you really take the time to listen to your customers? “Listening isn’t a matter of letting the client speak while more-or-less paying attention to them; you have to be attentive to exactly what they are saying and make sure to record their concerns for future reference,” says Chantal Lamarre, Director General of Carrus.

By giving a customer your full attention and making it clear that you are listening to their concerns, you can ensure that you are building a strong relationship with that person. “By putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, you can develop a greater understanding of that person’s experience and gently direct the sales process, which will help to establish a good business relationship that will endure over time.”

Lamarre also suggests paying close attention to the body language of clients. “A client’s gestures, facial expressions, attitude and tone of voice provide insights that are just as important as the thoughts and feelings they express – especially when they are in the presence of your product.”

With a bit of effort and some practice, you will learn to recognize these subtle signals and how to leverage them to the benefit of all your customers - and your business!

*Source: What Happens After a Good or Bad Experience, a study of consumers in the United States published by the Temkin Group, February 2014. Study sample: 10,000 people surveyed about 268 companies across 19 industries.