I always have bad experiences at doctor’s offices; I’m forced to wait too long, they try to charge me in full when my insurance is accepted, you name it. I found myself going back to the same place over and over purely because I was fed up with disappointment everywhere I went. I recently got sick and decided it was time to try somewhere new again. I was pleasantly surprised to find an office close by where I could check in online. After I filled out the online forms I immediately got a call saying there was a 30 minute wait and they would call me back to tell me when I should leave my house. Very nice.
Before I even got there I was impressed. When I walked in and didn’t have to wait in the waiting room I was overjoyed and when I got a follow up call the next day checking to see if I was feeling better and had gotten my prescription all right, I was hooked. Their exceptional customer service began before I was even a paying customer and then followed through the next day.
At 4CP, we try to do the same. We make sure that all of our prospects are aware of our convenient customer services on our website and we always focus on our values, not on the products we produce. When our sales reps are talking to prospective customers, they focus on things such as honesty, responsibility, our expertise and our respect for the environment. People understand that we produce full color print projects, what they want to know is how well we’ll work for them.
We recently had someone tell one of our sales reps that he had tried new print suppliers over the last 15 years but was constantly disappointed, thus always ending up back with the supplier he was comfortable with. So does ‘comfortable’ mean ‘satisfied?’ Doesn’t sound like it. It takes more than just a list of products we produce to get people stuck in this rut the courage to break free and try something new.
The promise of honest work and guaranteed responsibility are promises that potential customers want to hear and witness. Letting them know that they are priority number one before they even walk in the door is crucial and following through with those promises every time you work together is even more vital. When I go back to that doctor’s office, it will be because of the great service and sincerity that they gave me. The goal is to make customers come back to you because you gave them a great experience, not because you’re the best of the worst.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Recipe for Customer Service
Almost everyone has followed a recipe at some point in their lives; two cups of this, one tablespoon of that, bake for 25 minutes and you’re done. It’s fun and easy and everyone enjoys the outcome. Creating outstanding customer service is similar to following a simple recipe: the filling is made of equal parts honesty, responsibility and customer focus atop a layer of solid relationships. Like most recipes, if one ingredient is missing, the whole thing falls apart.
Honesty and responsibility follow hand-in-hand with one another in regards to customer service. At 4 Color Press we strive at maintaining open lines of communication so that our customers are always on the same page as us. We do what we can to make sure that our customers always get exactly what they want but we don’t stretch our limits if we can’t. If a customer wants something we can’t provide we’ll send them somewhere that can. When you run a business, your focus should be on what the customer needs. By doing this, you build stronger relationships with customers and potential customers who are willing to do work with you because they are certain of what they will get: a great product and equally great service.
Of course, it’s also important to be conscious of what you’re not putting into your recipe. One thing you can throw into the mix to kill your attempt at great customer service is a monetary surprise when the invoice comes. Throwing in expenses you didn’t inform your customer about will almost guarantee an angry phone call. It’s not even the extra expenses; it’s that you weren’t up front about the actual cost. You can’t throw in peanuts to your recipe and call what you’re baking a chocolate chip cookie- it just doesn’t work. If you tell someone you’re serving one thing, that’s what you give them; most people don’t like when they bite into something they weren’t expecting.
Honesty and responsibility follow hand-in-hand with one another in regards to customer service. At 4 Color Press we strive at maintaining open lines of communication so that our customers are always on the same page as us. We do what we can to make sure that our customers always get exactly what they want but we don’t stretch our limits if we can’t. If a customer wants something we can’t provide we’ll send them somewhere that can. When you run a business, your focus should be on what the customer needs. By doing this, you build stronger relationships with customers and potential customers who are willing to do work with you because they are certain of what they will get: a great product and equally great service.
Of course, it’s also important to be conscious of what you’re not putting into your recipe. One thing you can throw into the mix to kill your attempt at great customer service is a monetary surprise when the invoice comes. Throwing in expenses you didn’t inform your customer about will almost guarantee an angry phone call. It’s not even the extra expenses; it’s that you weren’t up front about the actual cost. You can’t throw in peanuts to your recipe and call what you’re baking a chocolate chip cookie- it just doesn’t work. If you tell someone you’re serving one thing, that’s what you give them; most people don’t like when they bite into something they weren’t expecting.
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