{"id":1017,"date":"2019-03-05T09:25:53","date_gmt":"2019-03-05T09:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotlineit.com\/?p=1017"},"modified":"2019-03-05T23:08:22","modified_gmt":"2019-03-05T23:08:22","slug":"customer-experience-vs-customer-service-3-things-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.hotlineit.com\/customer-experience-vs-customer-service-3-things-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Customer experience vs customer service: 3 things you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Many businesses will put a lot of effort into securing new customers. But unfortunately, often the customer will find that their experience does not live up to the original promise. The reality is that customers will only continue to use your services and\/or products if what\u2019s on offer is of value to them. Repeat custom is the lifeblood of small and medium-sized businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep in mind the following tips to not just secure new customers, but keep them coming back, and grow loyalty and develop authentic, long-term customer relationships in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a perfect world, there would be no such thing as a customer service department. From the boardroom to the front counter, customer service is the responsibility of everyone in your organisation. From the member of staff who initially answers the phone or email, to your accounts department, marketing, distribution and senior management, every member of your team needs good customer service skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This idea of a customer\u2019s \u2018value\u2019 comes in several forms. In one respect, it\u2019s their experience. Each of their interactions with your business should be a great experience for them. Granted, we\u2019re all only human, and mistakes will happen. Some problems cannot be avoided. But how you deal with the issue can ultimately make the difference between business success and failure. A customer might become frustrated given a mistake happening, for example, but your acknowledging it and being proactive in apologising, then working tirelessly to rectify the issue, will see \u2013 in most cases \u2013 you still retaining them as a customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my experience, there are three simple steps to ensure your customers have a great experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Set their expectations<\/em>.<\/strong> Let them know when they can expect to receive their order, or when you will call them back. Make sure they understand your delivery and service terms. This is the first way to allow them to know what success looks like. Without setting their expectations, you may end up on a different wavelength and the customer may be left disappointed. You also have the chance to go beyond their expectations and deliver earlier and better than expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Show empathy<\/em>.<\/strong> Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Customers call you because they have a question needing an answer or a problem to be solved. They may feel frustrated and even stressed. They want you to listen to their problem and give you an opportunity to fix it. You\u2019ll have had tough experiences before and showing that you understand where they\u2019re coming from can have a huge impact. Acknowledgement and reassurance go a long way to making a customer a happy customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask questions<\/em>.<\/strong> You will save yourself and the customer time if you ask the right questions, so that you can resolve the problem quicker. That means listening when they speak and figuring out what they need as quickly and constructively as you can. You can solve their problems and improve your bottom line through doing something as simple as engaging with the customer and understanding where they\u2019re coming from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the day, the \u2018customer experience\u2019 lives hand-in-hand with good customer service. You can\u2019t have a good experience if the service was bad \u2013 and good service counts for little if the overall experience falls flat. The customer is everything. Get on their side and they\u2019ll be on yours for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Access the original article written for Kochie’s Business Builders here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’d like to work with an IT company that puts customer service at the forefront, contact us<\/strong><\/a> today. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s easy to confuse customer service with customer experience but there are some fundamental differences. Michelle JoosSe, CEO of Hotline IT explains what you need to know. Many businesses will put a lot of effort into securing new customers. But unfortunately, often the customer will find that their experience does not live up to the original … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n