Customer service is about more than delivering a quality product or service. There are many different components of quality customer service, including initial impressions, pitching, product quality, service recoveries, and customer follow-ups. You’ll need to master each of these in order to provide the highest level of customer service. In particular, we are focusing on the importance of customer care follow-ups. How can follow-ups improve your customer experience and what are three ways to improve your current strategy? Keep reading to learn all about customer follow up tips and tricks.
Customers Are Your Business and Your Marketing
Why are customer follow up emails so important? The answer begins with understanding marketing. Everyone knows that in order to make money you have to spend money, and this often starts with the cost of marketing. It cost money to make flyers, commercials, or Google ads. But, if you play your cards right you can use your current customers to handle your marketing for you. If a customer is satisfied with your business, they are likely to recommend you to their family and friends. Personal recommendations are by far one of the most successful marketing techniques companies use today. Following up with customers ensures that they’ve had a quality experience with your company and lets them know that you appreciate their business more than just their dollar. Here are three top ways to improve your customer follow up experience.
1. Be Transparent with the Customer
The number one thing is to always be transparent with a customer. It’s easy to want to tell the customer that you’ve completed what they’re expecting of you, but you should never tell anything but the full truth. If production is taking longer than expected, let the customer know. Remember to thank the customer for their patience and reminding them that their experience is a top priority and your company is working diligently to resolve the situation.
2. Ask for Feedback
Don’t forget to ask for feedback. Whether you’re following up with a customer for a service recovery or a general after purchase experience, asking for feedback is a great way to let the customer know that you are always working to improve your customer experiences. Ask for feedback toward the end of your email or incorporate a simple survey at the end of a follow-up phone call. Giving the customer a chance to tell you feedback lets them know that their voice has been heard and considered.
3. Thank the Customer
And of course, always thank the customer after every follow-up. Even if you are sending several follow-up emails for a service recovery, you should thank the customer each time. Whether you’re thanking them for their patience, their consideration, or their business, it’s an important step in the follow-up process.
Customer Follow Up
Whether you’re following up with your customers because of a service recovery or simply to ask for feedback on a product, you want to be consistent in your process. Always remember to be transparent, ask for any feedback the customer is willing to give, and always remember to thank the customer for their business. Keep following these tips and tricks and you’ll up your customer service game in no time. Struggling to keep up with all of these follow-ups? Consider hiring a virtual assistant to relieve you of your customer follow up duties.