Let me share with you some of my thoughts over the past week or so about how what you do online is your face to the world.
How you e-mail. What your Web site looks like. Your attention to detail. These are all things that will make or break you when others are considering doing business with you.
E-mail as though you didn’t make it out of the sixth grade — potential customers will choose someone who gives the perception of education.
Have a Web site that is low-end or home-brewed and potential customers will probably choose a company that portrays their products/services in a quality, professional manner.
Don’t pay attention to details and that detail will be a glaring red flag to those who may have considered doing business with you.
What you do online is your face to the world. This goes for customers too. Just because you are a customer doesn’t mean you can put forth an uncongenial face. You’ll find there are those who choose to not have such customers.
To think you can do what you want or are only willing on the issues mentioned here, will speak volumes about you. And, I don’t think you’ll like what it’s saying…
At your service,
Judith
Simple “Customer Service” won’t cut it. Answering inquiries when you get around to it, shipping at your convenience, not paying attention to details or communicating as though you didn’t make it out of the sixth grade, will put you in the same league as the majority. You need to be extreme and offer extreme customer service!
To stand out online you need to have
Extreme Customer Service and prove it!
Courtesy, honesty and integrity are key. Now, I’m not going to blow smoke and tell you that by being honest and having integrity that’s all that is required. It isn’t. I can tell you from experience there will always be those customers where honesty or integrity are of no interest in lieu of just doing what you are told simply because you are being paid or offering the lowest price (regardless of quality).
In any business one has to realize that you can’t be everything to everyone. So don’t try! That’s part of offering Extreme Customer Service! Catering to your target market, knowing what they want and giving it to them X10! Over deliver!
Don’t dilute your efforts by trying to cater to the masses. Realize that those who do not value honesty and great customer service in lieu of cheaper prices and/or lack of quality or professionalism are those customers who most likely will not be profitable customers anyway.
Extreme Customer Service means that you answer e-mails within an hour. You have your products in stock and you ship that day if possible. You say what you’ll do and you do what you’ll say — without fail!
If you are e-mailed about an order, you jump on it and clarify any issues or questions. You make sure your customers know they are valued and appreciated by thanking them and using the epitome of professionalism and courtesy in your communications.
You take the extra steps and make the extra efforts to be THE company they want to do business with again in the future.
Online, more times than not, customer service levels are inadequate, sludge slow or plain old non-existent. Use that to your advantage to stick out like a sore thumb!
At your service,
Judith
I can understand why online business owners want to believe the hype. Get “Top 10 Listings”, “just change your meta keyword tags”, “go live and watch the bucks roll in”.
I too wish all that were true. It would make my life allot easier — I wouldn’t have to work so hard on my own sites. I’ve actually been fired because I wouldn’t agree with client ideas based on the misinformation and hype that drowns out folks like me. “Can’t you just tell me I have a good idea!?”. Well, sure — if it IS a good idea! Otherwise, I will advise to the contrary.
“If we add to our meta keyword tags, our rankings will improve, right?” Wrong, that is a minuscule part of the puzzle and certainly not worth hedging your rankings on. “Are you sure?” Hmmm…. I’m pretty sure I’m sure.
Don’t fall for the hype as tempting as it may be. There is nothing online that is easy or cheap when it comes to succeeding and building a healthy enterprise that will experience long term ROI.
Yes, one can chase the promises of cheap, fast and easy and keep throwing good money after bad. When you get tired of those shenanigans, stop by my site and let’s work in the land of reality to reach your goals.
At least you’ll have confidence in knowing you will be told the truth — whether you like it or not.
At your service,
Judith
