Moment With Betty

Permit me to deviate a little today from my usual spiritual, motivational and philosophical talks to a very important arm of business which many business operators in this part of our world never consider important.

As a business consultant in fact, a business development service provider (BDSP), l see customer service to be the key component to a successful business. Be it a small business enterprise or a company or even a corporate organization, without a good customer service/relationship, the business will not survive for too long. Most business owners don’t value their customers. Some transfer their aggression from home or from previous engagement to the innocent customer who walks into their store or office at the so- called wrong time. Yes, I used the word, “so- called wrong time” because such word should never exist in a business environment.   Just like l tell my mentees, as a businessman or woman, you must always wear a smile on your face no matter the situation and particularly when you are in your workspace. You must cultivate a smile always because The Smile connotes, Sincerity, Motivation, Integrity, Laughter and Enthusiasm.

When you are sincere, your customers will see your product as genuine, and they will trust you with their money. Just be yourself and show your customer that you honestly care for them and will deliver real value for their money. Show them that you are not just paying lip service to them but being frank with them. You need to motivate your customers with incentives that will move them to action (buy/engage your service). You may want to personalize your task as a marketer in such a way that your action will make the life of your co-workers and even the lives of your customers better.

Maintain a moral uprightness with your customers. Be honest and ensure that you deliver the quality you claim that your product will offer as this will lead to reliability on your path. Another customer service virtue if l should use the word “virtue” here, is the need to be truly interested in what you are doing as a business owner, marketer or Janitor. You must like what you are doing or else, you have no business being in that business. You must be eager to improve your product regularly and be innovative, in fact, you must have the desire to find new ways of doing the same thing and ignite your creative sense. Lastly, be good humored. Think positive always and be ready to laugh at yourself and also to make others laugh. You have to learn to carry out your business or work in an atmosphere of cheerfulness. So much about :The Smile”

Now let us get back into the importance of customer service and the understanding that you need the customers to run your business. First, establish the product or service that you want to sell/offer. Conceptualize and design the product, build the product/service roadmap, and then identify who your customers are. Remember that the customers are the reason why you are in business, always put the customers first. Know your customers by their first names if possible, be aware of their needs and respond to their needs as quickly as you can. Show them respect and go the extra mile if necessary to satisfy them.

Note however, that customer’s satisfaction is largely influenced by the value of service provided by the internal customers (the employees).

Often, people think that their customers are those who patronize their products/services, they fail to realize that there are different categories of customers. This means that there are two categories of customers; the internal and external customers. Let me at this juncture differentiate these categories of customers:

1. External Customers: Anyone who pays for your goods and services. Prospective customers (those who call to make enquiry); Regulators, (Board of Director, Regulators e.g. (NAFDAC, Local Tax collectors) and suppliers.
2. Internal Customers: are Our co- workers (staff) bankers, courier service company, shareholders, stockbrokers etc. Note that your biggest customers and resource persons, are your employees. So, treat them well, put policies and quality support services in place to make them productive and loyal employees who deliver results to customers.

The big question therefore is, what is Customer Service and how can we offer good customer service? First and foremost, customer service is the assistance and advice provided by a company to those people who buy or use its products or services. Secondly, we can offer good customer service by:

• Ensuring that the customer is informed properly at every given time.
• Avail all the required data that the customer (Internal customer) needs to function well.
• Notify the customer (both internal and external) of any problems immediately, be quick to apologise and explain delays and changes promptly.
• Treat the customer as he/she would like to be treated.
• Be friendly, polite, considerate and available.
• Know when to be discrete and emphatic.

Finally, just as you are a product and service provider, you should also be a problem-solver for your customers (both Internal and External). Your customers want solutions and not excuses. Give your customers more than they expect and go the extra mile to resolve their problems. Always be ready to meet their needs. Remember that your first customers are your employees, help and support them and so also the internal customers should help and support each other. After all, “Charity they say begins at home”.

Happy reading until next week when we will bring you the other aspects of Customer Service.