Here are some questions to ask yourself about how you and your business is perceived by your customers:
Do we appear helpful?
Do we appear to respect the customer’s time (on hold, waiting in line)?
Do we seem to be efficient?
Do they think we are paying attention and truly listening?
Are we unfriendly or arrogant?
Are we responsible or do we just make excuses?
Do we appear out of touch?
Are we understanding and do we make them happy?
Keep in mind the following facets that represent your company to your customer…”the customer facing aspects” of your business:
1. You and your employees
2. Your store front, if you have one
3. Reception area and receptionist
4. Your dress code for everyone
5. Your web site
6. Your Interactive Voice Response System
7. Your email system
8. Your customer support system and how you handle their calls
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Would be nice if every business took this advice. The customer pays our bills.
As we move into 2008 and we sit back to assess our Business Plans and Business Models, I find this list very timely!
I used to send out a quarterly survey asking clients and past clients how they felt about my Follow Up Campaign and if they were “effectively” learning something new in the course of our interactions throughout the year. Well, I’ve come to find that I can be a little more efficient and helpful by restructuring some of my follow up (by focusing on specific issues).
I’m definitely going through the list tomorrow morning to ask some of these very questions…I’m sure it’ll be very revealing!
All your questions can be summed up in just one question:
“Would you like to be sold or presented your_____ the way you are selling or presenting your ________?”
In other words, it is looking at your business, your products, your presentations (of all kinds) as if you were a first time prospective customer.