Recently I have been noticing how I am treated as a customer when I am out shopping, dining, or even connecting with people online.
I have had some great experiences, and some not so great.
What makes good customer service? For one thing, it’s about recognizing the fact that without customers paying for your service, you would not have a business. Now that doesn’t mean ‘the customer is always right’, as the old saying goes, but it certainly weighs heavier since your success depends on keeping them happy.
Here are three easy steps to great customer service:
Keep Them Informed
One of the things that can make clients nervous or uneasy while working with someone virtually, is not knowing the status of their work. Keeping them informed about their details is something that is really easy to do, yet some VAs I know don’t do this regularly. Whether you check in via phone or email regularly, or send them status updates on an individual project, or just let them know that you received their email, keeping your clients informed and up to date is one of the simplest things you can do to give them great customer service.
When someone sends you a request by email, respond to them to let them know you got it. Be clear on when you will work on it or deliver the completed project. If that timeline is more than a couple of days away, send a check in email to let them know the status. By being proactive, they will be more confident working with you.
Be Proactive
A great asset to have (or learn!) as a VA is how to really invest your interest in your client’s business. When you are working with a particular industry, take an interest in what is happening in that industry – about trends that could improve their business, or even news within it. By taking an active interest in what they do, you can vastly improve your customer service experience with them.
Whether you set up a Google alert or join a couple of LinkedIn groups or Facebook pages, keep your eyes and ears open to things that could interest them. Doing so could allow you to expand your service offerings, just by letting them know a new way they can be reaching their own audience. Being able to bring new ideas to the table when you are strategizing with your clients can go a long way to building a long lasting relationship with them – and growing both of your businesses.
Be Their Partner
Don’t be a task completer. To be a successful VA, you want to be a partner with your client – not someone who just completes the tasks they send you each week. By stepping up your role to be their partner in business, you can do things like regular assessment of their projects or methods – to be sure that what they are having you do makes sense. Changing course is easy when you can identify where things are working and where they are not.
By looking at the regular tasks you are completing (ie newsletter production) and identifying whether the method is working – or if a new approach might be necessary – can go a long way in helping your customer’s business. Help them make sure that what they are doing is fresh and relevant. This type of input builds invaluable customer service for your clients – the type of thing that inspires your current clients to send you referrals!
It’s really quite simple to go above and beyond in the area of customer service. By implementing a few simple steps like these, you can really ramp up your service offerings for your clients – and by doing so, that helps both of you become more successful.
By remembering that your clients are the bread and butter in your business, and by taking a more active role in the relationship with them, you can really elevate your customer service.
I’d love to hear some of the things you do for your clients … visit my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/yourvamentor