The importance of Client Services
By Anelie Petrus Eniola /
Customers are the most important something that every business needs. They make the business grow, and they make the business reach its goals.
But customers can also be difficult, not only difficult to find but also difficult to please, difficult to satisfy and difficult to keep.
Here are some tips on avoiding difficult situations with a customer.
- Telling the customer that they are wrong
We all know the statement “The customer is always right”. It is important to understand this because the customer has the right to be heard. It is the customer’s right to communicate their needs and wants and it’s your responsibility to try and provide solutions. And it’s important for the customer to find a reason to return for your services again. Thus it’s pointless to say the customer is wrong, unless to say they are at the wrong business.
- Cutting the customer short and telling them to listen to you
It is very important to feel heard. The fact that the customer chose your services over other services means they value you. As long as the customer is not abusing your own rights in any way it is very important that the customer is given a fair chance to express themselves as to what they want or need. After all your business is there to serve the customer’s wants and needs.
- Telling the customer that you don’t know and giving them no solution or alternatives
You can never give a customer the “I don’t know” answer without trying to get more information or guidance from your team. If you are unable to assist the customer at least make an effort in finding someone who can provide a solution.
- Talking about the customer with your colleague in front of them
It could be that the customer is not aware about certain policies but this still does not give you the right to humiliate the customer in front of your other colleagues even worse in front of other customers.
- Don’t talk bad about the company to the customer
Whether you are unhappy at work never share internal matters with the customers. Do not blame the company in trying to make things easier with the customer. Acknowledge where the company went wrong but also provide solutions. This is also not a good time to separate yourself from the organisation by saying “it’s not me, it is the company”. You are there representing the company, therefore you’re the company.
– Anelie Petrus Eniola is a communication practitioner and marketing assistant with a heart for community development. She is also an upcoming writer and an entrepreneur at the beehivegroup. Instagram: @beehivegroup
Tiktok:@beehivegirlafrica
