Make customer service a top priority

As companies have adjusted to operating during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic fallout, prioritizing customer service has become more important than ever.

Here are some foundational ways to strengthen customer service during these difficult and uncertain times.

It is more important now than ever before to prioritize customer service. You must have a strong base of loyal buyers, and a concerted effort to win over more market share or your business could very well see diminished profit margins and an escalated risk of being surpassed by competitors.

Get management involved
As is the case for many things in business, success starts at the top. Encourage your management team and fellow owners (if any) to regularly interact with customers. Doing so cements customer relationships and communicates to employees that cultivating these contacts is part of your company culture and a foundation of its profitability.

Moving down the organizational chart, cultivate customer-service heroes. Post articles about the latest customer service achievements on your internal website or distribute companywide emails celebrating successes. Champion these heroes in meetings. Public praise turns ordinary employees into stars and encourages future service excellence.

Just be sure to empower employees to make timely decisions. Don’t just talk about catering to customers unless your staff can really take the initiative to act accordingly.

Systemize your responsiveness
Like everyone in today’s data-driven world, customers want immediate information. So, strive to provide instant or at least timely feedback to customers with a highly visible, technologically advanced response system. This will let customers know that their input matters and you’ll reward them for speaking up.

The specifics of this system will depend on the size, shape and specialty of the business itself. It should encompass the right combination of instant, electronic responses to customer inquiries along with phone calls and, where appropriate, face-to-face (or direct virtual) interactions that reinforce how much you value their business.

Continue to adjust
By now, you’ve likely implemented a few adjustments to serving your customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have done so, with common measures including:

  • Explaining what you’re doing to cope with the crisis,
  • Being more flexible with payment plans and deadlines, and
  • Exercising greater patience and empathy.

As the months go on, don’t rest on your laurels. Continually reassess your approach to customer service and make adjustments that suit the changing circumstances of not only the pandemic, but also your industry and local economy. Seize opportunities to help customers and watch out for mistakes that could hurt your company’s reputation and revenue.

Don’t give up
This year has put everyone under unforeseen amounts of stress and, in turn, providing world-class customer services has become even more difficult. Keep at it — your extra efforts now could lay the groundwork for a much stronger customer base in the future. Please contact your Rudler, PSC advisor at 859-331-1717 to help you assess your customer service and calculate its impact on revenue and profitability.

RUDLER'S TAX MANAGEMENT & PLANNING TEAM

This week's Rudler Review is presented by Lisa Dooley, CPA and Chris Guidugli, CPA.

If you would like to discuss your particular tax situation, contact Lisa or Chris at 859-331-1717.

 

Rudler PSC has established a Tax Management and Planning Team, a group of professionals who specialize in tax services. These highly qualified and experienced tax specialists meet on a regular basis to discuss upcoming client engagements, current issues relating to our clients and regulatory changes. Be sure to receive future Rudler Reviews for advice from our tax experts,  sign up today !

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