Outstanding marketing will never supersede bad customer service. This is a fact. Whether your business is online-only or a brick & mortar, customer service should be our number one priority. Yes, even before our marketing.
Last week I made an appointment to get two services done at a local nail salon. Since I have become addicted to gel manicures I have become a regular at this salon, but have often visited there for a few years for pedicures and such.
During my visit I picked out two colors, one for my hands and one for my toes. The nail technician seemed busy and rushed. After they finished my nails they told me they were not going to do my toes because someone else was waiting. I calmly said ok, but that I had made an appointment for my toes also. They insisted that I didn’t, and I should come back TOMORROW.
Ya, sorry, I am never coming to your establishment again. Nor am I bringing my girls here for their occasional nail treat. And I will also be finding somewhere else to buy those gift certificates that I give to friends & family as gifts.
My point here is not to bash the nail salon. My point here is that we need to take care of our current customers.
According to Harvard Business Review, it is anywhere from five to twenty-five times more expensive to find a new customer versus keeping an existing one.
Fixing the Situation
- Asked if I would mind waiting a few extra minutes because they made a mistake, but want to make sure that I get my toes done for the weekend.
- Told me there was a miscommunication and ask politely if I come back tomorrow for my eight dollar service on the house.
- Offered to upgrade my current nail polish change to a pedicure if I could come back another day.
So in this case this establishment lost a customer who would have given them hundreds of dollars in business in the next year over an EIGHT dollar service!!!
And, believe it or not, customer service should also be used in our approach to social media. How are we treating our current followers? Sometimes we are always looking for the next new Like, that we forget we need to cultivate the community that we have already grown. Are we interacting with our current customers by leaving comments on their posts? Are we offering them value with our captions?
Conclusion
When we remember that our job is to serve out customers first, whether it is online or in-person, that is when true loyalty will begin. When our passion to help other shines through in every aspect of our businesses, we can’t help but to be successful!
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