Customer service ...

is everything! Well almost. One thing I have learned is, that customers can be very forgiving. One thing they don't forgive is carelessness and overall bad relations.

If you have a good sales rep and someone taking care of current clients, your tech work will become easier and more pleasant. Anything you can do to improve customer satisfaction, don't hold back.

Results matter, but if you cannot communicate on a positive level, even the best accomplishments can wind up overlooked.

Just me 2 cents,


Mike -MikeDammann

I've seen this happen. When the customer is torqued nothing you do will be right. ;) -Widgets

As a consumer I can second that. ;) -Jackie

IMO, "relationship" is everything. When they really like you there is a wide latitude of acceptable behavior and vice versa. -Gilbert

I'm not sure most salespeople understand the value of customer service as it relates to repeat business and referrals. -SalesGuy

Once ecstatic customer is worth 20 cold leads! -RainMaker

Absolutely!!!
And a good referral from a satisfied client ... WOW! -MikeDammann

I think salespeople understand the value, they just don't know what good customer service requires because for the most part salespeople aren't generally trained in customer service, they're taught how to sell. Customer service a lot of times is seen as more of a common sense way of dealing with people when really (IMO) it is a learned skill.;) -Doc MC

I think this is where the problems with commissions lie. People get motivated by the next commission cheque at the expense of customer service. There is no money is customer service, so they hunt for the next prospect.

Thoughts? -Bald Dog

I agree. If a salesperson did understand this concept then why would he/she ignore customer service and the repeat/referral business that comes with it? -Gilbert

I think it happens because of the flsw in the compensation structure. Marketing, sales and customer service make up what we call business development. It is an integrated whole. Yet, the three groups of people (marketing, sales and customer service) are paid differently.

Of course, they fail to work as a team. They work as a group of individuals pulling the departmental cart in a milliion different direction. And what is the result: Sky-high talent attrition, leading to sky-high customer attrition. What gets rewarded, gets repeated. Individual sales get rewarded, so people spend their time chasing new prospects. -Bald Dog

I really think that it is because a lot of salespeople don't know better. Most people want to do a good job even if it means they may have to spend a time doing commission free customer service. I think that many sales people want to take care of their customers problems, the just haven't been trained as to how. -Doc MC

I agree that this for the most part is a training issue. -Gilbert

I think it is even more of a structure issue. The sale is made and then the new client is handed over to a client service rep. Imagine! There is a relationship between the salesperson and the client, but now there is a new person in the picture: The client service rep. And the sales rep is forced to bow out and go chasing his next commission.

Thoughts? -Bald Dog

I agree, people like to deal with people they know. I guess it's a little of both structure and training. -Doc MC

And Idare also to say that training is not so much about sales per se, but rather coaching on "soft topics" on the salesperson, like self-esteem, self-worth, self-imange, accountability, being a straight-shooter, being honest, courage, integrity, etc.

Unless the person is "whole and healed", sales training is useless. First we must become the right "beings", and only then we can learn specific skills.

Liars with great sales training are still liars. All right. They are used car salesmen.

I believe an honest, accountable person, using a customised [Person's name] sales system can be a successful salesperson.

Thoughts? -Bald Dog

Just because a client is handed over to a client service rep doesn't mean the salesperson has to bow out.

IMO, if the salesperson does bow out then this would demonstrate either a lack of understanding [training] or a lack of relationship. -SalesGuy

I think salespeople bow out because their sales managers push them to chase the next sale. And they also chase the next commission cheque. -Bald Dog

I've worked for a few sales companies already and not a single one has provided customer service training. It has all been about selling.

Thanks for the thread. I learn something new every day. :) -Newbie

That is why my sales people continue to get commission checks every time a subscriber renews. That is the easiest money known to man and it motivates sales reps to keep caring about their customers after the initial sale. -RainMaker

Most of my sales experience was selling New Cars and Trucks. The repeat business was there but it sure took a while. -Newbie

I think many industries have one-time commission cheques. Some have recurring. With the recurring cheque, the salesperson can better focus on high retention, which becomes more important than making the next first sale.

Thoughts? -Bald Dog

Customer service is taking care of your customer the way you want someone to take care of you and YOUR business. This means being courteous, dotting every "i" and crossing all the "t's. that means letting the customer know what is happening with their business that you are handling for them.

Follow up and then follow up some more. Customer service is being courteous even when the customer loses their temper. The customer is right (most of the time) and even when they are not... you and your business have to teach them how to be right all the time. the worst mistake some business owners make is leaving rude and incompetent people to run their business.

You as the business owner need to run spot checks if you have a business location. You need to call up your office to see how your customers are being handled. The customer is King because it is he/her who gives you the green! -ginasands