PRODUCTS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
So, now that we’ve looked at creating the best copy to promote a new product, I’m going to turn my attention to how you retain loyal customers. Once you’ve initially attracted people it’s really important that you ensure their experiences with your product and business are the best possible. Of course, there are always going to be occasions when this doesn’t happen – perhaps they just don’t like what you’ve sold them, or there’s a problem with your distribution network – perhaps a postal or delivery delay. But the key to being continually successful is to have a system that deals with these issues quickly and in a considerate manner. It is estimated that 40% of people who begin to purchase from a competitive brand choose it because of a reputation for having good customer service. In a recent survey, approximately 55% of respondents said that good customer service means more than price or product. Amazingly, around 85% said they would pay more for products just to guarantee a better quality of customer service.
Conversely, bad customer service can have a real impact. Now, most people don’t like to complain about products or services, but when they do they want their complaint to be taken seriously. If something has been substandard, or that persuasive copy which you wrote was misleading, as a business owner you need to accept this and see what you can do to win back the customer’s trust. There are some simple ways to do this: train your staff to follow the philosophy that the customer is always right; offer refunds or replacements where and when possible, and listen to what your customers have to say. This can be a learning experience for you. Failing to listen is going to affect you more than you’d imagine.
In the survey I mentioned earlier, about 82% of people said that they have stopped doing business with a company due to bad customer service. But that’s not really the worst thing which can happen. In an age where social media plays such an important role, any poor customer service is a risk. A simple click will mean that details can be posted on websites, shared on social media sites, or re-tweeted thousands of times. And don’t believe that this won’t happen to you. It’s reported that up to 95% of people who have experienced bad customer service take some kind of action. While less than a quarter contact the company again to see if it will resolve the issue, 66% say that they will suggest that other people don’t buy from the company. And around 85% say that they will warn others about their experiences. In the past this meant telling only a few people how their experience was unacceptable. Getting angry, then forgetting about it. Nowadays, customers have vast digital footprints and sometimes thousands of ‘friends’ – and that is not the kind of person you want to upset …