Don't Forget the Human Touch. Customer Service Before the Sale.
By JB Floyd
After sales, service has become almost a law set in stone for businesspeople. You hear time and time again that the sale does not stop when the payment is made. Look after your clients, say the experts.
It is good that business people take care of their existing clients. Nobody can deny that. The problem is that they often do not have a clue how to look after a potential client. Sometimes they find the answer in shaping their business talk into an art. Catch the client with a flowery description of the advantages of the product and he or she cannot resist. Right?
It sounds so right but it is so wrong. Business talk does not really impress a client. Asking questions and listening is a far better way to go. Customers have a voice. They need to be given the opportunity to use it.
A while ago a client asked me to have a sign made for him. I approached three companies on the Internet. Company One tried to call me once. Unfortunately I was not available at the time and I never heard from them since. It would have been so easy to follow up with an email.
Company Two decided on my behalf that I wanted to know the price and told me by email "Without any other information, I can offer you 15.00 per foot."
Company Three decided to ask and listen. They contacted me by email. This is already an indication that they wanted to make sure I saw their response. They asked me about the required size, whether I wanted to utilize both the front and back of the sign and if I would prefer only text on the sign or an image as well? They made a few suggestions and included an estimate for the graphics. They followed the email with a phone call.
The lesson in this little story is that the sales person who is aware that he or she does not know everything is often the one who wins over the customer. Customers know what they want. Salespeople think they know what customers want.
The salesperson who is good at talking may make a sale now and then. The one who is good at listening will build relationships. A relationship translates into many sales and returning customers.
This is something that many online sellers may keep in mind. You may think that your website says it all. The truth is that it doesn’t. People want people to answer their questions, not websites.
The best customer service starts before the sale. It starts by asking questions and showing that you care about the exact needs of your clients. In our world caring is everything. Giving the customer a say is one way of showing that you care.
About the Author
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 | JB Floyd, LeadValets
3002 South Jefferson Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63118
314-561-7101
Contact Author: request info
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