Customer Service or Customer Care?

With prices of just about everything high and going higher, part of what's offered as value in the marketplace now is customer service.  It's not enough just to exchange goods for legal tender.  Business owners who want to see their businesses grow and see customers who give repeat business AND refer their family and friends must offer more.  That more is customer service. 

Typically customer service is defined as whatever suite of before, during and after the sale services you offer to customers and clients.  These include, but are not limited to:

• helping a potential customer locate an item
• offering suggestions for colors, flavors, sizes, add-ons
• bagging, packaging, wrapping the purchase
• helping to take a purchase to the customer's vehicle
• delivery of purchases
• follow-up communication to ask for feedback on customer satisfaction of the product/service purchased
• follow-up communication to ask for feedback on the customer service itself

The newest take on the term customer service is customer care.  This phrase carries with it the idea of humanizing the buy/sell environment.  It has within it the ideas:

1. that you learn what your customers might expect from your business in the way of service
2. that you listen to your clients with an open mind
3. that you problem-solve with your customers
4. that you provide an emotional element of friendliness and approachability to the buy/sell environment

All of us who own a business...offer goods and/or services for sale...need to have customers.  We need to have those people who want and/or need what we produce or provide in order to have a viable business.  For our business to grow and prosper we also need to have those same customers purchase more and refer their family and friends to us.  We need positive word-of-mouth advertising.  We need a positive and inviting face on our business for the prospective customer who is new to our offerings.  I think customer care is a more encompassing concept that simply customer service.

1. Learn what your customers might expect from your business in the way of service: customers actually do have expectations of vendors of goods and services.  For example, when I go to the grocery store, I expect that the produce offered for sale is going to be fresh and ready-to-eat.  If the store has a butcher counter, I expect that the fellows behind the counter will help me with my purchases by offering such services as custom cuts, answering questions and even giving me cooking preparation hints.

At the the CPA's office, I have the expectation that this is a professional person who has the expertise to know what I don't know about my taxes and will help to make sure that my business accounts are in compliance.

Take a look at your business from the point of view of a customer:

• does your product or service require explanation before purchase?
• is delivery an issue?
• is there any training in your product's use or after-purchase maintenance that needs to be learned?
• can your customer contact you and do you respond in a timely fashion?

2.  Listen to your clients and customers with an open mind:

• not everything your clients tell you will be positive...as business owners it's important to remember that negative feedback can be instructive - complaints could be a starting place for improvement
• never be opposed to change; maybe your client likes your product but would love it more in the color red - is there anyway to accommodate that for this one client?

Many times customers will only tell us what they don't like about the products we sell or tell us about the gaps in our service...rather than tell us what they do like.  These complaints can actually be used as bits of information that we can use to improve.  Let's say you offer a product that has a screw-top lid and you find that a percentage of your customers complain about how difficult it is to open.  Have you done anything about that other than to shrug it off?  What about going to the product's manufacturer [if, indeed, that isn't you] and suggesting an easier opening top...especially one that arthritic fingers can open.  Or what if you offered a free lid opener with every purchase [as an added value] like those rubber or toothed grippers? 

Sometimes you'll hear your customers ask if you also offer "x" or "y;" ask yourself if the time has come to expand your product line and offer those items.  Or, at the very least, give your customers suggestions as to where they can purchase those particular items.

Coming up with a satisfactory response to negative or complaining comments can increase customer loyalty.  People like to be listened to.

3.  Problem-solve with your customers.  Sometimes a potential customer is attracted to your product or service but doesn't really know if they need it.  Engage that person in conversation and learn something about them.  Maybe your service is that of a life coach.  The potential client has heard about such consultancies but really doesn't know enough to decide if such a thing is relevant to them.  Begin by offering a little education about what a life coach does and what some of the benefits are.  Maybe there is some portion of your service that would fit this potential customer's needs rather than the whole enchilada.  Offer to tailor a program that will give this person value.

Problem solving isn't just about answering complaints.  It is also about getting to know your customers and their needs and wants.  If you have a variety of products, knowing something about your customers will help you to design a product package that is relevant to them and greatly improve your chance of sales.

4.  Communication is important in customer retention and gaining new customers.  If you have a business and you have promoted it in any way at all so that the general public knows about, then you need to provide a way for customers new and old to contact you.  If you have publicized a telephone number, have you also publicized its availability?  Meaning, is it 24-7?  9 a.m. to 5 p.m.?  Wed thru Sat, noon to 4 p.m.?  And during those hours is someone there to answer the phone?  Do you have a reliable answering service or voicemail system?  Do you check messages often?  If you promise "same day" response, do you?

In whatever manner you offer communication with customers and clients be sure to follow through.  Check your email often; check the comments on your website; answer your phone; check your messages.

Customer Care is the human, personable side of the mechanics of customer service.  You could have two grocery checkers.  Both also bag your groceries and place the bags in your cart.  One checker will smile and wish you a good day...the other won't make eye contact and talks to another checker during the entire transaction.  Which checkers' line will you stand in next time you shop?