Here is an absolutely great post that appeared in the Dovetail Software Blog, Be the Duck:
It’s a known fact that it costs five times more to gain a new customer than it does to retain an existing one. So why do companies seem to invest more time, money and effort in the former, when the latter is what will really keep them afloat?
“According to Bill Drury, as reported in Communications Expert Coaches Professionals on Client-Retention, a 5 percent increase in customer loyalty can improve long-term profitability by 80 percent.’”
So maybe it’s time to focus on customer service, customer service, customer service.
“In a recent presentation by Drury, he reminded people to ‘remember the duck, which seems to glide smoothly on the water but is paddling furiously underneath.’”
In other words, maintain a smooth exterior with customers no matter how hard you have to work behind the scenes to make that happen and to keep them satisfied, and no matter how difficult they may be.
Darrell Griffiths, in Quality Customer Service During a Recession Insures Customer Loyalty makes 10 excellent suggestions to help companies do just that…
1. Always tell your customer what you CAN do for them. Never tell them what you CAN’T do for them.
2. If customers are angry, let them vent at you first.
3. Diffuse anger by saying “I understand that you feel upset or angry.”
4. Remember the customer’s name and use it at various points in the conversation.
5. Make sure you present an acceptable solution to the customer’s problem. Get their consent and agreement.
6. Always end each contact with a “Thank you” or a message of appreciation for their business.
7. When speaking to a customer, make certain that your tone of voice matches your words.
8. Make sure you are actively listening and wear a smile even while on the phone!
9. Follow up on your solution.
10. Ask if there is anything else that you can do for your customer.Drury sums up the importance of focusing on doing whatever it takes to keep customers happy:
“Ensuring customer satisfaction is the best marketing a company can do… since a satisfied customer will tell approximately three people about their good experience with a business. A customer with an unresolved issue will tell about 11 people and an angry customer will tell as many as 20.”
So be the duck when it comes to customer service. It may just be the reason you stay afloat.
