How best service attracts customers

Customer service versus customer care is the same as a schoolteacher in comparison with a nanny: there are fewer people who you need to look after, but each of them requires much more attention.

Exceptional service is not only the privilege of large companies that manufacture products for general use. This is just as necessary for a small utility business and freelancers. Dear customers always expect more from you than just a product.

Unfortunately, at least once a week I hear something like this:
')

The freelancer I last hired worked disgustingly. He broke all the deadlines, he never answered if I wrote an email or called. And I had a feeling that I was tearing him away from important matters, although I just reminded myself that it would be nice to take on the work for which I paid him .

You are trying to establish the best price, improve technical skills. But is this enough to make the customer satisfied?

Think of the worst freelancer you have ever worked with: it would be much easier for you to come to terms with the fact that he doesn’t have enough professional experience if you felt that he can really communicate with you and you can rely on him. For customers, there is nothing more disgusting than poor service. And the best way to reduce the quantity and quality of sales to zero is to treat those who pay in the “indifferent concierge” style.

The best marketing channel is still word of mouth. It works smoothly when you provide service at the boutique level, even if you are the only employee in the store. Customers should fall in love with what you do.

How to achieve this?

Listen



At the root of any service is the ability to listen and hear customers. What disappoints them? What suits them, and even more importantly - what goes wrong? What are their needs? How does what you do help or prevent them from realizing these needs?

Look at the service process through the eyes of customers, and you can easily understand what needs to be improved and where.

Keep your word

Deadlines, expected results, meetings - you should always do what you promise to do. Never say “yes” to anything, unless you are sure that you will not be able to fulfill the promise to the client. Say "no" if you understand that the task is set incorrectly or has no solution at all. There is nothing worse than to promise, knowing in advance that you are not able to complete the project.

David Ogilvy, owner of the world-famous advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather, said that nothing infuriates him so much as unfulfilled promises:

My eyes are bleeding when someone at Ogilvy & Mather tells a customer that we cannot release ads on the promised day. In the best companies, promises are always kept, no matter how hard the agony and overtime are.

Remember: an unforgettable service begins with honesty.

Admit mistakes immediately



Too often, freelancers and small business owners choose to keep quiet when "something went wrong." Instead, use the opportunity to communicate with the client: what exactly went wrong, why it went wrong, and what you are going to do to fix it. Do not hush up the problems, speak them, we are all human, and people are wrong.

Communicate regularly

The easiest key to a good service of any project is feedback. The more often you communicate with a client, the faster you will be able to detect problems and, of course, solve them. Call, write, meet - contact the customer on a schedule. This will allow you to be one step ahead, to direct the situation in the right direction, and to be sure that the client is satisfied with the progress.

Offer an expert solution

Clients may have their own vision of solving the problem, but they are professionals in their field, not yours. And if you see that the client is mistaken, do not miss the opportunity to “edit” his request - you, as a specialist, should know better how to solve his problem most effectively. Share your expertise with the customer, he will definitely appreciate it.

Set boundaries



No need to sleep with a mobile phone under the pillow, turning on the bell at maximum volume: customer service does not require you to pay attention 24/7, except for force majeure situations. The clearer you draw your boundaries in customer relations, the more likely customers are to deal with them.

Clarify all the details before it comes to money

During negotiations with the client, it is important to clearly understand what results are expected of you. Do not use jargon or technical vocabulary to explain what you will do - speak the same language with the client. Spend as much time as you need to explain to the client what services you provide, what you do and what you do not do, and what you may need from yourself in the course of work. The clearer the task is before the money is discussed, the happier both parties will be at the end of the project.

Do not promise the moon

Agree to do only those things that you can control, otherwise you will not satisfy the client's expectations, and he will remain unhappy. This is not the most tempting of the selling chips - promise only what you can control. But ultimately it will help make your client happy and as loyal as possible.



If you are a freelancer or a small business owner, trying to compete only in price will actually drive you to the bottom. Let the level of your customer service be similar to the level of a luxury hotel. Treat customers like the most expensive guests. Give them personal attention, listen to their problems and goals, communicate with them regularly, keep your word, and your customers will eventually become your sales department, telling others how cool it is to work with you.