Sometimes, providing customer service feels like a losing battle. No matter how many resources you dedicate to the task, you still wind up with unhappy clients on the other end of the line.
If you find yourself in this position, you’re not alone. It’s something that affects countless firms out there, including some of the biggest brands in the world.
Fortunately, you can fight back with innovative thinking. Yes, satisfying people is challenging in the modern world. But as top brands like Walmart and American Express show, it is possible.
Thank Customers Frequently With Small Gestures
As entrepreneurs, we tend to want to think big all the time, wowing and amazing our customers with our wonderful services. But it turns out that frequent small gestures can have an equally outsized effect, but at a much lower cost.
For instance, some airlines have been known to provide concierge-style services for their passengers. JetBlue, for example, ordered a Starbucks for a passenger who didn’t have time to grab their usual coffee before departure. It’s little things like this that make all the difference.
Go To Your Customers’ Home
Going to your customers’ home might sound like a faff – and it is. But it’s something that they will appreciate more than practically anything else. Take Tesla, for instance. Instead of getting customers to take their vehicles to a workshop, they bring the mechanic to them. This way, clients avoid having to sit around for ages while they wait for repair staff to sort out their vehicle. Instead, they can just get on with their day, no interruptions required.
Put Payment Options On Your Invoices
Usually, invoices are just annoying pieces of paper asking customers for money. It’s then up to them to cook up a payment method and send you what they owe.
This method is the way it’s always been done. But it comes with two distinct disadvantages. Firstly, it delays your payment. And, secondly, it puts the onus on customers, forcing them to take additional actions that might be inconvenient for them.
The good news is that you can now get around this issue by using invoice software. Here, you can actually embed your digital invoices with electronic payment methods, allowing customers to clear their balance immediately.
Help People Out
In today’s world, customers assume that companies only care about profits. Anyone who’s actually started a business knows that this isn’t true. But that’s unfortunately the culture that we live in.
Companies, however, can leverage this public perception to their advantage by helping people in their time of need. For instance, Trader Joe’s don’t usually deliver their products. However, they made an exception when they heard about an elderly woman who didn’t have enough food to see her through a snowstorm. So they prepared some meals for her and delivered it at their expense.
In summary, customer service isn’t about bending over backwards and turning yourself into a slave. Instead, it requires taking advantage of simple opportunities as they come your way. Big gestures are great, but so are smaller ones too.