Catalyst QUE

Over the years it has become more and more obvious to me that the best sales tool is your customer service.

Each and every one of my previous employers and now clients always ask what’s the best thing we can do to increase sales, and of course spending as little money as possible.

In simple there is no silver bullet for this, however you can use what you have got to better effect. Customer service is as close as you’ll get to a silver bullet for the best sales technique at the lowest cost.

Educate all your staff on the importance of customer service, after all that’s why they have a job, no customer no money, no money no job, I’m sure they’ll get that.

How… If a customer has an issue you respond, get an email back to them with a simple “we got it and we’re onto it” then a follow up with in 12-24 hours (refer quick to respond is quick to win).

Do what you say, if you tell a customer that you will do something for them then DO IT, ideally faster that what you said, under promise and over deliver (its an oldie but a goodie).

Go the extra distance, remember that your customers issue is the most likely to be one of the most important thing to them at that very moment so go the extra distance and help them out. Better still give them a call back in a couple of days to see how its all going.

Simple things like this help to make a client know your there for them. If you can create superior customer service and support this will spin out into more sales for your organisation as clients will start to refer and endorse your business both online though social media and offline though conversation.

So online or offline its all about customer service – get it right and you’ll win!

Here are a couple of my favorite companies that do it well.

Xero

Balsamiq