Marketing 101: Customer Service

In today's competitive market place, the quality of a company’s customer service is a crucial, indispensable element, directly influencing the overall value of a business.  Potential customers have a multitude of choices to make when deciding where to go for whatever it is they may need.  Gaining new clients and retaining the company’s current customer base involves, among other PR fundamentals, improving the level of customer service in order to advance a business over the competition.

Some tips on how to go above and beyong your customers' expectations:

1. Make eye contact, smile and use your client's name
2. Learn what is expected from your department so you can anticipate the needs of your customers
3. Follow up on requests, even when it is not a duty of your department
4. Never say, "I don't know." Instead, say, "I'll find out."
5. Never appear hurried, even if you are very busy
6. If you're unable to provide exactly what the client requested, offer viable alternatives
7. Keep all areas of your office clean, not just your own workspace
8. Take ownership of your client's problems and enure the matter is resolved to your client's satisfaction

Remember: It can take years to develop a relationship with a client, but only seconds to lose one.

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