Why Good Customer Service Is a Business's Best Source of Low-Cost Marketing

How Good Customer Service Can Benefit Any Businesses

It really matters very little what size your business is: marketing is essential for a successful business. I know sole-traders often say that they don’t do any marketing. They usually follow this up by saying that their business comes through the word of mouth of their existing customers, which is precisely the point I made in the opening sentence. 

It really doesn’t matter what line of business you are in: marketing is essential for a successful business. Retailers need to market successfully; trades need to market successfully; service suppliers need to market successfully.For any business, perhaps the single best source of low-cost, high quality marketing is your staff; more particularly, the service they provide. If your customers get a good experience at the hands of your staff they are more likely to return to you and to recommend you to others.

When I was at school I worked on Saturdays in a picture framing shop. The owner had the arrogant belief that his customers did not know what they wanted and that it was perfectly acceptable for him to be rude and uncooperative with them.

It was no coincidence that he rarely got repeat business and in the two years I was there I doubt that any customer came through the door as a result of a recommendation. He went out of business about six months after I left: not much of a surprise, I must say. Here’s a lesson from Simon Wicks that my old boss just never learned:

“If you treat your customers well and ensure that they’re dealt with professionally and efficiently, it’s likely that they’d pay more for a service than they would if they received bad service elsewhere.”https://www.enterprisenation.com/blog/ten-golden-customer-service-rules-for-small-businesses 

The Customer Is King

This is a variation on the saying that the customer is always right. On the whole, this is the starting point. There are limits, of course. You’re not going to give your goods or services away or do anything else that is totally irrational. The idea of marketing as satisfying the customers’ needs at a profit is a good one. If customers get a good product and good customer service, no reasonable customer will begrudge you your profit. Profit is not a dirty word. It’s what you need to stay in business and to continue to supply high quality goods and services. As Ed Reeves says: 

“Great customer service is all about developing lasting bonds with customers and ensuring they come back time and time again. Therefore, making the customer a priority from the outset is essential.” http://www.businesszone.co.uk/topic/marketing-pr/customer-service-small-business-secret-weapon/54750 

Respond Quickly to Your Customers’ Enquiries
If potential customers try to get through to you and fail they will go elsewhere. Few things are more irritating than when you are trying to contact someone and it just proves impossible to be able to do so. And if you say you’ll call somebody back, make sure you do just that. As the marketingdonut.co.uk says: 

“Response to customer enquiries is crucial to success. Get it right and punters are likely to keep coming back to you. Get it wrong and they will go elsewhere.” http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing/customer-care/customer-service/smart-ways-to-handle-customer-enquiries

A few years ago I relocated from the Midlands to Hertfordshire when I got a new job. I wanted to rent a flat for a short period of time. I saw one advertised that looked suitable and telephoned the letting agent. The person I needed, Stuart, was out of the office so I left my number for him to call me back. Five more times over the next three days I called the agent’s office to speak with Stuart. On each occasion I was promised he’d call me back the moment he came into the office. On each occasion he failed to do so. Ten days after my first call to the letting agent Stuart telephoned me to tell me that he regretted that the property I was interested in had already been let. I could write a lengthy thesis on this, but I’ll leave it here. 

Your Customers Expect to Deal with Competent People

Potential customers want to deal with experts. When they telephone your company or come into you premises they, quite rightly, expect that the people they deal with will know what they are talking about. Any staff training is a cost to your business, but the investment is worth it. Remember that your staff are representing your business. They are you ambassadors. If the impression they give is one of incompetence, that is the impression that potential customers will have of your business. 

Don’t Fear Feedback

If a customer lets you know that she is not happy with the service she has received, it is in your best interest to do something about it. None of us is perfect and sometimes we get things wrong. If this happens, a quick apology and speedy resolution of the problem usually puts things right. 

Often this approach will go down well with customers. If the customer feels that things have been dealt with she is much less likely to tell others that you gave a poor service. She is more likely to tell them that you speedily put things right. 

Businesses operate in a very competitive environment. Customers have a choice. If the level of service they get from your staff is poor, customers know they can go somewhere else. My old boss just did not get this. That’s why he went out of business.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.