Being better* comprises of effective strategic direction, being organised, and delivering a great service to your clients.
*better – we mean this in a healthy, competitive way.

So how good is your current service to your clients? And how can you make it better?

The first thing you need to remember is that when you deliver above and beyond, your clients become advocates for your brand and refer your business to their friends and associates. You could almost measure how well you are servicing your clients on that point alone – how many referrals were given this month? This is, more often than not, directly proportional to your standard of service.

Here are some tips on how you may be able to better serve your clients and set yourself apart from your competitors:

SPEED

Speed of service is actually not generally looked at that much. Not many businesses focus on the speed of their service; usually their focus is on the quality. And whilst this is still to be taken note of, people appreciate being serviced and delivered to and dealt with quickly.

This can also include the way you walk and the way you go about getting things done. If you walk slowly, talk slowly, and take a long time to complete things, what kind of image does that give? You want to be known for your quality work, yes, but also for the impressive speed in which you get it done.

KEEPING YOUR WORD

Put simply: ALWAYS DELIVER WHAT YOU PROMISE.

It is common to not always receive exactly what was promised and this has almost become expected in some industries. Being known as the business or company who always delivers what was promised could send you a long way up the line of success.

Always deliver what you promise.

THE LITTLE THINGS

Usually it is the little things that keep life interesting and also it is these little things that we tend to share with our friends or family. Here are some examples of doing little things for your clients:

• Retail. Put a small card with an inspirational quote on it in the bag of your customer’s purchase. Place sweet, interesting items on the shelves of the store. Spray the bags that you give your clients with a little bit of perfume. Place fresh flowers in the store. Retail can be one of the most fun industries to better your service – there is plenty of room to be creative.

• Service based industries. The key to success in a service based industry comes down to how well you care about the client and how well they feel like you have taken care of them. It is easier to have bad experiences in a service based company than it is in a product or retail environment because the client is not receiving a tangible product.

The client needs to remember you. Bend over backwards to help them out – even if it is doing something small for them that wasn’t originally agreed upon. Make sure you’re looking, smelling and feeling your best when you deal with you clients – these basics are essential to servicing your clients. Remember their birthdays, their names, their spouse’s names – this is great service.

Introduce them to a contact that you know will be of benefit to them whether as a service provider or a referral source/connector for them.

• Product based industries. Product based industries are a little bit difficult to maximise service, especially if there isn’t a physical store and the products are delivered to the client’s door, like wholesale.

There are obvious things like having easy to use websites, neat and clean packaging that is easy to open, great service over the phone, completing jobs on time, and using delivery trucks or companies that are professional and neat and known for effectiveness.

A great opportunity in the product based industry is to give the client a follow up call after they have received the product. Ask them if they are satisfied and even ask about the little things like (if applicable) ‘was the delivery person polite?’ This will surely get you remembered as the company who cares for their customers.

An interesting note: you may find that even if you do make mistakes or not deliver perfect service every time, if you have the intention to help your customer/client and they know that is your intention, small downfalls will be ignored. Customers tend to ignore the small shortcomings if they find their needs are truly being taken care of. 

Also, if you have called the client and asked for feedback, it lets them know you care about constant improvement and that you are changing those things.

Also, you must ensure you are getting return for the service you give. There are companies who deliver and deliver and deliver above and beyond the client expectations, but don’t make the client exchange back. This loses the company money and also makes it unfair to you. You cannot achieve your goals without appropriate exchange.

How you handle complaints also sets you apart, positively or negatively! Don’t get defensive, train your team to listen, hear what the clients are saying and help them to own the issue and acknowledge where they may have gone wrong, too.  Most people just want to be heard and acknowledged.  You could do a little bit extra by giving your staff the ability to gift them a discount or free service or send them an apology gift.

GET CREATIVE

It is your company, your business, your clients. You know it better than anyone. You need to portray the image you want and the culture you want. Take the time to sit down and get creative and come up with awesome ideas of how you can impress your clients.

Why not ask your clients or staff to help get the ideas flowing?