If your workload looks anything like mine, you are usually so involved in the day-to-day tasks of running a small business that sometimes you forget to look through the eyes of your customer. To put it simply, you can’t afford to ignore this perspective for long. Because in this cluttered marketplace, an unhappy customer will usually take their business elsewhere.

So how do you make sure that this doesn’t happen? Here are 5 tricks to get the real skinny on your company’s customer service capabilities.

1. Call the 800 number – Try a couple of different tactics each time that you call. Angry, confused – throw everything at them including the kitchen sink!

2. E-mail Customer Service – Make sure you think about how a customer would write this e-mail because you don’t want to be obvious in your “mystery-shop Email”.

3. Answer the Phones – There is nothing better than just talking to your customers and seeing what kinds of needs they have. Make a trip to the call center a regular event.

4. Contact Random Customers – Pick a few customers that you never have interaction with and give them a call. Not only will they appreciate the time that you took to call them, I bet they will give you tons of great information.

5. Check Your Website – Visit your website and make sure that it is easy to get customer service contact information. Also, ask a family member or friend who has never been on your site to review it. You might be surprised what you are missing.

If you are at the top of the organization, this is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of your business. It is all too easy to get disconnected when you don’t talk to customers every day. And a little warning, this could have some personnel kick-back because no employee wants Big Brother breathing down their neck. So, I recommend sharing your findings with your top managers and brainstorm a way to reward your staff for the good findings and create an action plan for the areas that need improvement.

Remember – if it’s not perfect – fake it till you make it. Before you know it, that exceptional level of customer service will not be an act, it will be a genuine part of your company philosophy. Good luck!

Till Next Time,

Eric

Hot Shot Delivery, The Houston Courier Service