Make Your Web Business Friendly & Helpful
Make your service or product excellent or social media will make sure you answer for it
Before the internet, a local shop took an interest in its customers. The shop keeper knew all of their customers by name. That shop keeper was acutely aware of the need to treat each customer fairly and cheerfully. Even when they were complaining. Because word of mouth would get around the locals if he (or she) didn’t, and their shop would lose custom.
Then the internet came along. Things changed but strangely also stayed the same. These days companies that don’t treat customers fairly, when they have complaints can’t hide behind forms, email addresses, and call centres. Social media has seen to it that news of bad treatment by a company gets around fast. Very fast. If I’m treated unfairly I’ll tell my friends and they’ll tell their friends and so on. Before you know it the company will lose business or be forced to right the wrong.
A business can’t hide from its customers anymore and it is always answerable. So all businesses should be like that pre-internet shop keeper and go out of their way to make 100% sure that all their customers have the very best product or service experience that they can deliver. Always. Everyday. Because today’s small £5 purchase might be tomorrow’s £2,000 purchase, if the service is excellent.
To illustrate this let me tell you a story. My wife and I had a trip to London, we got there in the early morning and we found ourselves stood infront of a Lalique Glass store. The shop assistant could see us looking at the glass art in the window. He smiled opened the door and asked us if we’d like to look around. He was friendly and talked about some of the glass we were looking at. We browsed for a bit, said goodbye and went on our way. With how nice and friendly the shop assistant had been in the back of our minds.
Later that day we had some money left over and were passing the shop again we went in a bought a small memento of the day, it wasn’t very expensive. But we were treated to excellent service throughout. Our purchase was wrapped in tissue paper tied with Lalique ribbon put in a very upmarket bag along with perfume samples, a little booklet and the business cards of the two members of staff who had served us. This is a great example of how customer service should be whether online or off.
As a business, you should always be looking to add value. Your business can’t afford to lose customers. So treat every one of them to the personal touch like they are your only customer. Try to add value on social media with advice and tips about your product or service and build trust with your customers. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your actions and your company’s actions don’t matter and that no one’s looking.
They are and it will.