Customers - What They Really Want - 6 Secrets of Customer Service

What customers really want can be divided into two areas.

Firstly - they want the core service of your business tomeet their needs. They expect your product or service towork.If you say you're a plumber, then the customer expects youto fix their leaking pipe. If you say you're an accountant,then they expect you to resolve their tax details.

They also expect your product or service to represent valuefor money.If I buy an expensive pair of winter boots I expect them tokeep out the cold and wet and also look good. Naturally if Iwas to buy a cheaper pair I wouldn't expect them to last aslong.

Customers expect your after-sales service to be efficient.If my new winter boots start to leak when I wear them forthe first time, then I expect the shop to replace themimmediately.

However, none of this will make customers loyal or causethem to tell others how good you are. They take this coreservice as a given. You wouldn't see me running aroundtelling people that my new winter boots didn't leak.

This is the Second and most important point -

What customers really - really - really want and what willmake them loyal to your business and say wonderful thingsabout you to other people are:

1. Warm and friendly responses - When customers make contactwith you face to face or over the telephone, they want awarm response. It can still be businesslike but you and yourpeople need to look and sound - friendly and likeable.

(This may all sound like common sense to you but think aboutthese factors the next time you're a customer and askyourself if they're happening to you. Then ask yourself ifyour customers or clients are experiencing this from you andyour people)

2. They want to feel important - They know that you have lotsof other customers and clients but they just love it whenyou make them feel special.

3. They want to be listened to - Customers often get theimpression that the person dealing with them is not reallylistening. You must keep working on your listening skills.Keep good eye contact with people and concentrate on whatthey're saying. Keep an open mind and resist the temptationto jump in with an answer.It's also important to show that you're listening. Open bodylanguage and head nods when face to face - lots of Uh - Hu'swhen over the phone.

4. Someone to know their name - A persons name is one of thesweetest sounds they'll ever hear. If you use a customer'sname when you talk to them, it indicates that you recognisethem as an individual. Don't use it too often as it canbecome irritating, but definitely at the start and the endof a conversation.

5. Flexibility - Customers hate to hear the word "No" or "itcan't be done." It's not always possible to say "Yes" to acustomer or do exactly what they want; however, it isimportant to be as flexible as you can.Tell customers what you can do - not what you can't.

6. Recovery - When things go wrong, customers want you tosolve their problems quickly. They don't want to hearexcuses or who's to blame or why it happened, they just wantit fixed fast.

Customers will often judge the quality of your service bythe way you recover. They will even forgive your mistakes ifyou recover well.

Say, for example, you served a meal that wasn't cookedproperly or wasn't hot enough. You would need to apologise,assure the customer it will be fixed and then do it quickly.Then tell the customer that they won't be charged for themain course or give them some wine or a free desert. Then,when that customer talks about your restaurant, they'll tellpeople - "There was a small problem initially but when Ipointed it out, they really moved themselves and theycouldn't have been more apologetic."

Don't be afraid when something does go wrong; it's often agreat opportunity to show customers just how great yourservice really is.

Overall, customers just want to feel good. They want to feelbetter after they've dealt with you or anyone in yourbusiness, than they did before. If you can create thatfeeling, then you're well on the way to - giving customerswhat they REALLY want.

Discover how you can generate more business without havingto cold call!Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Saleswithout Selling". This book is packed with practical thingsthat you can do to get customers to come to you!

http://www.howtogetmoresales.com