Customer Service Now - Can It Outshine A Product?
Recently I traveled to Canada and each night we stayed at a different motel/hotel. We were on motorcycles and we all were tired when we arrived at a destination later each afternoon. There were 3 of us couples traveling together.
On our third evening, we came to the Pinecone Motel. It was an older motel and not fancy looking. Upon arrival, a very nice couple introduced themselves to us as the owners. They offered to carry in our bags. I asked the manager about WIFI and he asked for my phone. He took care of setting it up for me. (I thought, this is odd, why is so accommodating? Or is he trying to get info from my phone?)
We went to our small rooms and I noticed there was no hair dryer so I inquired at their front office. He shortly came running over to bring me a hair dryer.
The Customer Service Now Gets Better
There was a motorcycle behind us that we could no longer see. Apparently that one went down in the dirt. We were quite shaken and tired when we arrived at the Pinecone Motel. The manager came out with towels, water - a hose and soap to help us clean up the motorcycles. Wow, what great customer service now we thought.
The Great Customer Service Now Continued
The next morning, we were told they would serve breakfast. We didn't see the dining room in the back but when we entered we were all in awe. It was an old beautiful dining room. The owner's wife came out with the best homemade blueberry waffles we ever ate. They offered other food and drink as well and as much as we wanted. It was all complementary.
The other couples asked if we wanted to stay another night, at first we were like no, the bed was small and not very comfortable. But then we realized the owners would do anything for us so we agreed to stay another night.
The Awesome Owners
When we left the second and final morning - the owners came out and took our pictures and then they poised for us. We learned they were from South Korea and it was only their 2 nd year in business. They were slowly fixing up the old place. I had to give them a shout out on social media and put their photos near their sign on Instagram and Twitter.
Is Service More Important Than Product?
I wanted to do review for them on Yelp once I got home. (They are not there - only on Booking.com) They really made me think - " is customer service more important than the product itself?"
'Is customer service more important than the product itself?' Click To Tweet
Since I could not give them a review I gave them a review on Instagram and Twitter.
How Do You Perceive Customer Service Now?
Do you purchase products and services because of who stands behind them and they will be there for you? I know have stuck with Hostgator for my hosting company because they are always there when I've had an issue over the years. There may be better hosting or pricing out there but I've stuck by them for their support and customer service.
I recently read a great piece on an undercover experiment on 28 web hosting companies live chat support that was done. I really could relate to it because I love using the live chat vs. the telephone with many service companies as it is quicker and easier. It was amazing to see one once they were contacted by chat that it required the user to use email. That is not an example of good customer service!
Another example I experienced was trying to buy shoes online. The site didn't work, so I called and they said they could not take any orders. This was a big major retailer. 2 weeks later the shoes arrived after I was told the site was not accepting orders.
No doubt Twitter can be a great way for other businesses to give customer service as I've written about before. It's a quick and easy way to reach companies that no longer answer the phones via a human being. You've experienced that before right?
Why Give Reviews?
People love the feeling they get when they review something or someone they really like. It feels good to let someone know how much you appreciate them and/or their services.
I love giving other reviews when I truly love a product or service. I recently reviewed Ryan's eBook. Ryan was a huge help in creating my latest eBook Learn to Tweet and Thrive on Twitter on Amazon. He really simplified the eBook project for me. I could not have done it without Ryan's eBook on how to create and publish a successful eBook. Thank you Ryan!
How To Get Reviews - Show Them LOVE
- Go beyond the customers expectation. - Don't promise the world and only deliver the small potatoes.
- Manage expectations. - Be sure to manage their expectations so they will not be disappointed.
- Give more than you tell them you will do. - Go beyond the average to please them.
- Listen to your customer. - Learn their needs and then you can service them correctly.
- Be Friendly. - People like to do business with people they like and can relate to.
- Thank them. - Last but not least be sure to thank your customers for choosing you and doing business with you. Send them a note or call and thank them.
And of course when you receive this kind of treatment from a business, give them an awesome review.
Recently I had a customer give my Facebook page a review, I was thrilled.
Don't promise the world and only deliver the small potatoes. Click To Tweet
Customer Retention
It is much easier to retain a customer than to find a new one. It will save you time and money by keeping your current customers happy. Imagine, customers saving you time and money! According to Sam Hurley's article Think about that one for a minute.
Today it is harder than ever to retain customers as the world wide web opens more options for many to choose from. People can shop around even when they are in a brick and mortar store. They quickly take out their mobile phone to compare prices.
That's where customer service now comes into play. Imagine if that retail store had someone on staff to ask customers if they needed help or could bargain on price or product?
Customer Loyalty
Many today believe customer loyalty is dead. People no longer have one or two options when shopping for products or services. They can go online and find many more options out there.
But with outstanding customer service now you can retain your customers today. Sam Hurley on Post Funnel recently did a piece on the psychological triggers to use for customer retention. Understanding the psychology behind the customer behaviors, emotions and tendencies is a technique to achieve and maintain that loyalty.
Do have any loyalty to a product or service today? Do you give great customer service now in your business? I'd love to know how in the comments below!
