What’s on the iPod: Love Interruption by Jack White
Yesterday was a full day of work. I had one interview, two blog posts (on technical topics, so research was involved), and some invoices to send/chase. Along with that, I started a third of the four articles I’m writing this month. Plus I sent out a draft to a client on an article proposal. All before 4 pm.
Like I said, a full day. And today is much of the same.
As I was tactfully following up on invoices, I was thinking yesterday about the one thing we all have in us to perform one task that can instantly set us apart from the masses. We have the ability to communicate. We can use that to deliver the most powerful business tool there is — customer service.
But that should be part of everyone’s business model, you say. And you’re right. It should be. But if you’ve ever had to argue with a clerk or a customer service rep just to get your issue noticed, you know how absent real customer service is.
That’s where you come in. You can make your business stand out just by shifting the focus from how many clients you reach to how much service you give each one. Here are some ways to do that:
Thank them. Seriously, when was the last time you thanked a client for a project? If you have to take any time to get to the answer, then you’re not thanking them enough. Get in the habit of thanking them at the assignment, at delivery of the project, and a few weeks later when you…
Follow up. You think you did a bang-up job, but how do you know unless you ask? Part of giving good service is making sure your impression matches the actual result. I usually follow up in a week or two and ask if everything looked okay, if there were questions, etc.
Write it. Emailed thanks is great, but why not boost the impact of your words? Send your client a written note of thanks. Put a stamp on it (remember those?) and make your thanks more personal by handwriting the note. You’ll be remembered — how many written notes do you get these days?
Suggest improvements. You finished the web copy, but the brochure needs an overhaul, too. Say so. Point out to your client how they can improve their image. You’ll increase sales, sure, but you’ll make them look good.
Act like a partner. Tweet their successes, repost their blog posts, brag about them. Show your clients how invested you really are in their success. Service that includes your enthusiasm and support sends a powerful message.
How many ways do you provide service? Are you consistent with it?
Great post, Lori. Customer service is a bugaboo of mine. In my corporate days, I used to conduct customer service reviews for clients. I was consistently told I was "tough." In my mind, good customer service is not rocket science and actually quite easy to achieve with a little effort.
You give great examples. Thank you is so often missed. Like you suggest, I thank my clients with every project-no matter how long I have been working with them.
I also like to do the unexpected gift (e.g., fruit basket, etc.) periodically for my anchor clients.
Sending them articles/reports they might be interested in is not only good marketing, but clients appreciate it, too.
I used to travel a LOT in my corporate days. One client told me she loved my customer service and it was simply because I always acknowledged her emails. If I was traveling, I might send a reply letting her know I was out of the office, but I would get so & so on it or (if it seemed less urgent), I let her know when I would be back in the office and asked if it met her needs if I followed up when I returned to the office. It took 2 seconds to respond, but gave me miles of good will.
Amen sisters Lori and Cathy.
I say thank you so often I fear people view me as Brenda on The Closer. "Thank yew….thank you very much."
I also reply to e-mails as swiftly as possible, and appreciate it when clients do as well. Why? Because common courtesy goes a long way in making others feel valued.
We've all met or seen the tycoon type who thinks anyone can be bought, so throwing money at someone means they don't need to be polite. Gee – imaging how much of their previous cash they'd save if they took five seconds to say Please and Thank You? (Given those types are usually egocentric, they already know how to take credit for things by saying You're Welcome.)
Follow up and making sure they are happy goes a long way in my book. I love your hand-written note idea, Lori. It's the thought that counts and that note will let them know you care.
As an aside, when you're writing those technical blog posts with research do you have a different rate? I'm assuming they take longer to write than a general post.
Cathy, you've hit on another great service item — being reliable. I remember some of my first praise as a writer was about how reliable I was (correspondent for the local paper). There are so many flaky people out there that just doing what you said you'll do stands out as great service.
Paula, that's a super hint, too. I may not have an answer today, but I'm going to acknowledge that you've asked the question. It takes so little to show people they've been heard.
Wade, I do only technical blog posts now, and yes, the rate is higher. Most times the client will feed the idea to me, which cuts out a lot of time in researching (especially if they send a link).
Great tips, Lori. I do all of these – although I use email almost exclusively, both because of location and terrible handwriting. 🙂 Like Cathy, I always distinguish myself by being reliable. I tell clients up front what kind of communication and delivery they can expect and I stick to it.
Good stuff… seems to me that good customer service should be automatic for us solo entrepreneurs – comes with really connecting with the client I think.
Sharon, you definitely get a pass based on location! Handwriting, well, it's easy enough to pay your kids to write for you. LOL
Reliability is that relatively unheard-of factor that really influences the client's decision to work with you again. I think it's essential myself.
It should be automatic, Anne. I agree. It's not, and that sucks.
Stepson had a customer service incident yesterday. He'd taken a tire to a local shop for repair last Thursday. He called them yesterday wondering where it was. Their response, "Oh, we realized it can't be repaired."
No one called him to tell him. Instead, he had to chase it. That's lousy service right there.