Effective sales tools – your Customer Service?

I believe that good customer service is a path to increased sales  & strong cusotmer loyalty. I believe that as a function within an organisation it is undervalued because it is under utilised.

I recently delivered a customer service programme to group of individuals.  As part of the programme we reflected on a number of questions.

• Who are your customers? Do you segment or categorise them?
• What do they do exactly? What is their business about?
• What are their challenges? In their specific role, in their business, in their industry?
• Are you reactive or proactive with them?
• How do you sound,  speak to your customers?
• Who does most of talking?
• Do you know what they say about you & your company to other companies?
• Do they recommend your company to their customers, suppliers?
• Do you keep your promises?
• Do you say Thank You for your business? Do you say sorry if you make a mistake?
• Do you go beyond your competitors in service? How do you WOW them?
• Do they consider you to be an expert/leader in your field?

This is a pro active customer service strategy. If you have answered yes to most of these questions then you have excellent customer service & I would love to hear how you got there.