Importance of customer care in your business

BUSINESS owners pay much attention to the running of their business. The poor relation on the ‘Must Do’ tick box is often customer care. I was reminded of this when my wife and I were met by ice cold officiousness from a booking clerk as we explained our needs.

She had her inner demons. We were, I suppose, in her cross-hairs that day. The staff member’s offhand attitude spoiled for us, and no doubt others, what is known as the customer experience.

Of the many business maxims collected one of my favourites is: “If we get it right tell the world. If we get it wrong tell us.”

Good business advice but it can be a tough call. It is often easier to avoid unpleasantness and take your business elsewhere. However, it costs seven times as much to attract a new client as to keep an existing one.

As a business owner it pays to strike up a good relationship with customers. It pays extra dividends if you encourage them to help your business by remarking candidly on their customer experience and then putting flaws right.

Here are a few facts that focus on the importance of treating the boss (the customer) with friendliness and civility.

According to 1st Financial Training Services 96 per cent of customers don’t complain when disappointed by poor service; 91 per cent simply never return.

A dissatisfied customer will tell nine to 20 people of their bad experience. Happy clients, according to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, will express their satisfaction to just four to six people.

Marketing sources agree that 70 per cent of buying experiences are based on the customer’s perception of how they were treated. Believe it or not price is secondary.

Customers who rate your business five on a nought to five scale are six times more likely to return than a customer who marks you four to five. If your business is quiet whilst rivals are busier, then lack of customer care could be the reason.