Satisfying customers' needs

Customer service is at the very core of small business success. You need satisfied customers who will return and recommend your business to others. Remember, it is harder and more costly to find new customers than to retain the old ones. Outstanding customer service is often the best way for a small business to compete with larger corporate businesses.

Attitude is important. Every interaction should be viewed as an opportunity to serve the customer. Employees should be trained to respond correctly over the phone and in person. Role playing can be helpful in teaching these skills.

Providing excellent customer service means going beyond what is expected. It means getting to know your customers and their needs, building relationships, listening carefully, and responding promptly and appropriately. In any customer transaction you should ask yourself:

• Did I completely understand what the customer wanted?
• Was my response presented clearly?
• Did the customer get what she/he wanted?
• Is the customer completely satisfied?

Your customer service program should be evaluated regularly. One way to do this is to ask customers how you are doing, either directly or through a survey.

Other sites of interest:

• Mystery Shopper's Network

This document was prepared by the San Joaquin Delta College Small Business Development Center. Send comments to: Gillian Murphy

Acknowledgements, disclaimers, etc.