Sales through service - four simple customer service tips to increase sales

Good customer service is fundamental; especially today in an ever-changing business environment where alternatives are easily found and there are little to no changeover costs. This should encourage you to ask yourself if you are giving the best customer support to your customers. If you are not sure you do, here are some good reasons why you should invest more in customer service.

Collect feedback

If you want your business to grow further, you need to understand what your customers want. This means providing your customers with the opportunity of giving feedback through any medium of their choice.

Investing in technology will prove very helpful in enabling you to understand what your customers are saying about your brand. For example, using technology to tap into social media channels, such as Facebook, allows you to identify, and quickly respond to customer issues or questions. It is also important to have the right alerts in place that allow you to be alerted if your business or brand are being ill-mentioned anywhere online so you could promptly tackle any issues.

Be there for your customers

It is easier and cheaper to retain a customer rather than trying to attract a new one. In fact, Bain and Company reported that it is 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing one. Many believe customers owe the company their loyalty thus their retention is natural, but on the contrary, loyalty needs to be earned.

This can be done by using technology to help you create a better relationship with your customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software can help you gain insight into the behaviour of customers and the value of those customers. With an effective CRM strategy, a business can increase revenues by providing services and products that are exactly what your customers want and offer better customer service.

Aspire to become a leader

When times are tough, it is easy for sales to drop radically. Providing great customer service whenever a sale is made, significantly helps reduce this eventuality. Being a customer service leader would differentiate you from other companies with mediocre customer service thus also creating a substantial competitive advantage.

Always remember that is the customer’s perception that rules the game. Showing your customer you can solve any of their issues would make them perceive your company as serious and reliable.

Engage in more effective cross-selling

Analysing your customer’s buying patterns and knowing their needs allow you to offer customers products or services which will better address their needs.

This process cannot exist in isolation however – it needs to be underpinned by an effective customer service strategy. In fact, according to a recent American Express survey with the exception of France (44%) and Japan (37%), over half of consumers have spent more with a company because of a history of positive customer service experiences.

iMovo’s solutions allow organisations to foster satisfied customers and loyal relationships. This is achieved by enabling you to engage with customers through their preferred communication channel – whether through email, phone, online chat, social media or Web – and to act on the insights customers provide to enhance the overall customer experience and gain loyalty. If you would like to learn more please visit www.imovo.com.mt.