Providing Great Customer Service During COVID
As we look into 2021, we can see that work-from-home and remote learning are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Businesses struggle to cope with workers away from the site, track an employee’s progress digitally, and provide excellent customer service while trying to adapt. While some businesses may not see the value of good customer service, it truly could determine if a business survives the pandemic. How can you increase your customer service to grow your business?
Connection
Businesses should focus on their connections with their customers during the pandemic. Every interaction that an employee has with a customer is an opportunity to provide good customer service; this includes your business’s website. Have an interactive webpage, deliver valuable information, and reassure a customer is incredibly valuable and is typically your business’s first interaction with your customer.
Your business should detail your compassion to your customer’s stresses, not only verbally when an employee speaks with a customer, but describe on your website what customers should expect when they call, email, or physically visit your store.
Rely on Digital Space
Again, your business’s website could provide exceptional value to your customers as it is a safe way to communicate. However, before the pandemic, we saw a slow trend of businesses incorporating other digital avenues such as mobile applications, social media platforms, and direct email marketing as part of their campaign to reach their customers. With the pandemic, we see a rush for businesses to integrate digital communication methods into their marketing strategies as their interactions with their customers have become limited. To provide excellent customer service during this time, find ways to roll out digital communications and train your staff to become more familiar and accept these new practices.
Know the Basics of Customer Service
When times are chaotic, and things are changing rapidly, sometimes it is beneficial to revisit customer service’s basic principles. Ask yourself the following questions about your business:
- Is your working environment safe for both your employees and customers?
- Are your employees knowledgeable about all of the products and services that your business has to offer?
- Do your employees engage customers in a prompt and friendly manner?
- Do you follow up with your customers after the sale to ensure they are happy and have few difficulties?
- Are your employees able to troubleshoot with customers as the need arises?
Remember, your customer could visit your business several times, but one lousy interaction can lead them to never come to your establishment again.
Marketing
Your business should have its brand, and each message that your customer receives should center around that brand message. Your business’s brand should be detailed in a written plan and become a part of the company’s mission statement. Take the time to ensure all messages, including your website, focuses on this brand message and images. Your team members or employees should also be aware of your brand to guarantee that they provide service in harmony with the brand. Excellent customer service provides a consistent message no matter the platform that the customer sees or approaches.
