In this ONLINE world where
competition is at its peak, good customer service can help the merchant to lead
the market. Customer service is important to the merchant because it is often
the only contact a customer has with the company. Some customers spend hundreds
and even thousands of dollars per year with a merchant. Consequently, when they
have a question or product issue, they expect a company's customer service department
to resolve their issues. Customer service is the overall activity of
identifying and satisfying customer needs. It differentiates a company from its
competitors.
A company with excellent
customer service is more likely to get repeat business from customers.
Consequently, the company will benefit with greater sales and profits.
Contrarily, companies with poor customer service may lose customers, which will
have a negative impact on business. It costs a lot more money for a company to
acquire a customer than to retain them, due to advertising costs and the
expense of sales calls. Therefore, the efforts that go into maintaining quality
customer service can really pay dividends over time. Understanding the
importance of good customer service is essential for a healthy business in
creating new customers, keeping loyal customers, and developing referrals for
future customers.
In a recent study conducted
by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), small enterprises,
which heavily emphasize their customer service support, were more likely to
endure and succeed when compared to their leading competitors who only focused
on offering lower prices for their products and services. Customers will simply
pay more money and take their business elsewhere if they are not completely
satisfied with the way a company treats them. Businesses, on the other hand,
cannot afford to lose customers since their credibility and reputation is
highly dependent upon a customer’s experience and feedback.
Good customer service leads
to many benefits. Not only will you gain trust with your current clients,
they'll also become a wonderful referral system as they spread the word about
your business to other prospects. Especially with any internet business transactions,
product reviews are quite common. Whether it's positive or negative feedback
about a product or service, people are writing freely about their shopping
experiences. In the long run, treating people fairly and with respect will
bring business to your company today and in the future. Customer service also
helps merchant to improve their products. If a merchant gets repetitive
complaints from customers on a particular product, he may proactively fix the
problem. If the quality of your product is good then you do not have to worry
about sales.
Overall, a good Customer
service support is extremely important for any new business. Always keep in mind that your business will be
successful only if you have satisfied customers.