Win Business With Customer Service

In-plant customers have a hard time differentiating one printer from another, so they often use price to decide where to send business. By offering superior customer service, you can reduce the importance of price in the customer’s mind and keep him or her coming to you.

The key to customer service? Good communication, namely excellent phone skills, since customers who receive poor treatment on the phone initially are unlikely to return. For maximum phone flair, you must:

• Answer the phone promptly.

• State your name and department clearly.

• Match the volume and pace of the customer’s voice.

• Repeat important information to show you understand what’s involved with a project.

• Master the hold and transfer features; losing customers shows a lack of concern for their needs.

• Never keep a customer on hold longer than one minute; if this might happen, take a number and call back as soon as you can. Never make a customer call you back.

Make sure all employees receive telephone training so customers always hear you at your best.

From the article “Win Business With Customer Service,” by Jean-Luc Devis, February 2004