Beyond the Sale: The Power of creating impeccable customer Experience

Five years ago when I started my small business, I was a naïve 23 years old struggling financially. My total capital was some hundred dollars that I saved from my part-time job. I had no idea about running a business and I was frugal as they come.

Therefore, offering customer service was a big no-no for me. I had no money but also my business knowledge was limited. I made so many mistakes that my business was close to bankruptcy but I kept going.

Today, my business is making seven figures in profit and I am more satisfied than ever. Do I regret making mistakes? Yes. Have I learned something? Yes. Would I have done better if I had the knowledge that I have today? Also, yes.

If you are running a business and you are all ready to offer customer service on a budget, keep reading. Within this article, I will cover some of the basics that will help you offer top-notch customer service without breaking the bank.

How to create impeccable customer Experience?

The power of customer service is generally underestimated by small businesses. This is mainly because its pros are overlooked while its expenses are overestimated. As per Salesforce research, 89% of consumers prefer to buy from a brand that offers a positive customer service experience.

If you are a business owner, then let me tell you that both notions are wrong. To clear all the misconnections, here are some of the tried and tested tips that have helped me set effective customer service on a budget.

1-      Invest In Equipment and Technology

Whether you run a small business or manage a huge enterprise, technology, and equipment are your best friends. Experts believe that investing in good equipment will eventually help you cut your expenses and it will become your asset as well.

As a small business owner, you can start with your laptop but make sure to have a good enough internet connection. For my small business, I use Xfinity. It is not only affordable and offers unlimited data but also offers multiple device connectivity options. Plus, I can contact them by via the Xfinity phone number and a representative will always be present to address all my complaints regarding the internet connection.

2-      Plan Things on Paper

Most business owners underestimate the power of planning on paper. Since it is hectic and you continually have to reevaluate things, most people rely on laptops instead. Well, as a business owner, I have tried refining my processes and it feels like writing on paper is much more effective.

Numerous studies encourage people to write on paper. According to a Japanese study, writing things on paper helps you jog your memory and eventually, you can memorize things better as well. Refining this framework will eventually help you frame and automate things using different tools.

3-      Take Help from AI

AI is the future and if you have not yet used AI for improving the customer experience then your business will suffer in the next few years. AI customer service is ideal for small businesses because AI tools are subscription-based.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on the subscription and the best thing is that you can cancel anytime. AI tools like chatbots offer prompt replies, reducing the response time and costs of hiring people.

4-      Use a Customer Service Dashboard

Following up with the customers is also an essential part of providing an exceptional customer experience. However, when you manually go through the database to find information about each customer, it can get tedious and time-consuming.

What you can do is ensure that customer data is secure and organized at all times by using customer service dashboards. These dashboards store data on the cloud, making sure that you have access to information regardless of where you are.

5-      Seek Feedback

Feedback is one of the most important parts of customer service that most business owners forget. Big companies, on the other hand, spend billions on seeking feedback to improve on their services.

As a small business owner, maintain a very strict follow-up policy. This will eventually help you seek feedback and you will be able to learn about the customer requirements and expectations. Once you understand these expectations, you will be able to adjust your product and services accordingly.

Bonus Tip:

Use Handwriting Fonts

This is an ideal tip for small business owners. Most business owners send personalized notes to their customers. This generally includes basic greetings and maybe some discount codes. However, writing this note can get very hectic and you are never sure if your writing will be good enough.

A simple solution is to use handwriting font and print these notes. I know typewriter font is also good but it does not offer the handwriting and personalized effect that most small business owners want to offer.

Wrap Up

For small business owners, offering customer service may not be a priority. This could be because of a limited budget or lack of resources. Regardless of your reason, it is safe to say that customer service is the backbone of your business. If you are currently struggling and need to set up a free customer service line for your business, use the above-mentioned tips!