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We’ve all had negative customer service experiences. You go into a store and the sales associates fail to greet you, or you walk into the waiting room and the receptionist continues their personal phone call. Poor customer service experiences like these are the main reason customers stop doing business with a company.

Think about how this affects small businesses. Let’s look a coffee shop as an example.

If a customer has a bad experience with a barista at one of the three large coffee chains, it’s unlikely they will boycott the company because of it. They may be missed for a day or two, but the next time they are exhausted and in desperate need of caffeine, one of those chains will be in a convenient spot and the person will give in.

If this scenario took place at a local café, however, a customer may not be so willing to forgive and forget. They could be turned off the business for good. This study reveals that 79% of customers who have had a negative experience with a business share their story with others.

Instead of focusing our attention on the consequences of poor customer service, let’s look on the bright side – leverage great customer service to keep existing customers and gain new ones.

Growth

A large part of what keeps your small business going is loyal customers.

When a customer has a positive experience with your business, they will tell their friends, family, and anyone else looking for a similar product or service. According to Hubspot, on average, a happy customer tells nine others about their experience. This is advantageous for small businesses since they often rely on word of mouth to gain business.

Think of your customers as key members of your marketing team – they work for free as long as you keep them happy!

Now you may be asking yourself, how do I provide exceptional customer experiences?

Hire the Right People

Hiring qualified employees who are happy to go the extra mile for a customer will make the world of a difference. As much as you can train employees, some things you just can’t teach; being personable is one of them.

Even if an employees job title not include “customer service representative” when dealing with anyone purchasing your products or services above average customer service is a must.

Any employee is a reflection of your entire business and brand.

Ask for Feedback

The best way to know how you can improve is to ask your customers.

When large corporations send out customer surveys, many people will ignore them because they feel they don’t owe the business anything – hence the incentives typically involved.

As your customers are local, it’s likely they are willing to provide suggestions based on their familiarity with you. They want to see you grow and succeed.

Show your Customers you Care

In a previous post we touched on the topic of using social media as a customer service platform and the importance of replying to customers. Getting feedback helps you expand your business; responding to it proves you value your customers’ advice and that you truly care.

Showing appreciation is crucial. Customers often feel like they’re doing you a favour by giving you business. Treat them like they are and your efforts will be noticed.

Do you have any tips on delivering the best customer experience? Let us know in the comments!

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