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Do you remember the last time you bought something and you were treated so exceptionally well that you were blown away by the experience? Such an experience has such a long term impact that you remember it for a long time and you will always give that business your custom.

These experiences happen so rarely, but can be delivered by all businesses with only requiring a small part of your annual budget. Most of the time it is the little things that make the biggest difference. In today’s economic climate and competition with the internet, these changes should be considered by all businesses. Simple things such as offering your customers a glass of iced water on a hot Australian day can make a big difference to your end sales.

The large corporates have tended to move away from customer service, which opens the opportunity to smaller customer focused businesses. An example could be as simply having your sales staff assist your customers with their purchases to the car.

To achieve this you need to identify what your service standards are. You then need to deliver them consistently and have your staff all working in the same direction. At the Ritz-Carlton they have printed their service standards onto a card and employees are required to carry this card with them at all times.

To deliver this service standard you need to identify what your contact points are with your customers. This will include areas such as your internet and social media offerings. It will also include your reception and telephone response. To ensure these contact points work for you, look at empowering your staff and training them to solve your customer issues quickly and efficiently.

Every business will receive complaints or negative feedback. It is important that you have systems to receive this feedback and to respond in a timely manner. A dissatisfied customer will tell others if their problem is not resolved.

Remember a happy customer can lead to more sales and a profitable business. A win-win situation for customers and business owners.

If you need assistance to develop these strategies, your team at Harding Martin is available to assist.