Monday, July 11, 2016

Enhanced Customer Service Helps Restore Image & Reputation

It may often take a lifetime to work on and build either your personal, your business, or your organizational image in a positive manner, but it will usually take as little as a fleeting moment to damage your image and reputation. It is important for us to understand that our reputation is directly related to our ability to achieve and accomplish, because we are given only one, and it's up to us what we do with it! All you need to do is think about the last time you may have had some conflict, difficulty or issue with a company's service or product, and focus on how their customer service department handled it (whether they were comforting and helpful, or on the contrary, exacerbated the situation).

1. One of the most essential things to understand is that while price and pricing may be able to bring a sale or sales, only quality customer service has the ability to transform customers into clients, who remain loyal in their personal purchasing habits, as well as how they refer to you and/ or your business. We must consider the two aspects of meaningful and positive customer service are putting the customer first (as the adage goes, the customer's always right), combined with providing actual service that helps the customer get what he desires and needs, and especially what is promised. For example, if a package delivery company guarantees delivery by a specific time, and fails to deliver, and the customer service personnel merely says that it was not delivered or mis - delivered, but makes neither any accommodation nor remedy, the customer's feeling for that company will generally be negatively impacted, and the likeliness of him referring others to them is negligible.

2. Especially after anything that in any way harms a customer's image of a company, etc., the damage is compounded if the customer service personnel drop the ball, and do further harm rather than positively impact the relationship. Whether it is a major corporation, a smaller company, an individual retail outlet, a service - oriented company, an organization or personally involved, unless service is the focus, the needed relationship often fails to develop or evolve.

3. Without any doubt, the most valuable asset there can be is one's reputation. Our reputation's are either positively or negatively impacted by everything we do, so wouldn't it make sense to prioritize this service? While this may make sense and seem obvious, unfortunately it often is not the result.

Often, however, companies and organizations, when finances become more challenging, often cut their prices and reduce their customer service support. Nothing could generally create a less productive result.

Regardless of whether this is a personal issue, or involves either sales of a product or a service, we must understand, we are always selling something - either our self, a product or a service. People feel confident in those who treat them with respect and consideration! Those selling products must stand behind what they sell, and remember the adage, The customer is always right (even when he may not be!). Service professionals, such as Real Estate professionals, must respect their customers and clients time, and pay attention to details, needs, priorities, concerns, and hold their hands. Respond to emails, texts, phone calls, immediately, and answer questions to the satisfaction of them - NOT YOU! 

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