From the Academic world to the workplace – DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS – Part 2

These tips will make your emergence into the world of work more comfortable and make you more confident in tackling issues that will inevitably arise.  For example, dealing with customer complaints or attending meetings with senior colleagues and important clients, will initially, take you out of your comfort zone.

1. Win/Win is the only satisfactory outcome to a complaint.  Never tell customers they are wrong and point out your shortcomings first.
2. Treat complaints quickly.  If you don’t you will exacerbate the situation possibly beyond repair.  Remember when someone is pleased with the service you provide they will tell three people.  When they are dissatisfied they will tell ten people.  And never tell lies.
3. Think about your promise on delivery times.  Promise delivery on a Thursday and it arrives on Wednesday will result in an extremely satisfied customer.
4. Keep reminding yourself how you feel when goods or services aren’t delivered on time.  How do you feel when this happens?  Surprised?  Angry? Or, do you just expect this to happen?
5. Be reliable at all times.  This brings customer loyalty, trust, repeat business, referrals and recommendations.  Unreliability loses business.
6. Over promising and under delivering invariably produces an unhappy customer.  Mistakes do happen but there is rarely a good reason for being unreliable.
7. Be truthful if you do make a mistake.  Anyone can make an honest mistake but if you try to cover it up the customer will never forgive you and will unlikely do business with you again.  Always behave ethically.
8. Answer the phone nearest to you even if it is not yours.  People hate being left on the end of a phone which simply rings out.
9. Tell the receptionist when you go out or move to another part of the building.  If a customer is trying to reach you they will become frustrated if they have to wait whilst someone tries to locate you.
10. Contact customers when you haven’t been in touch for a while.  Thieves and vagabonds will be trying to take them from you.  When your customers don’t think you care, these clients are vulnerable.