Tipping the Scales: How Follow Through Aids Success

It takes months to find a customer and seconds to lose them. Customer Service is what will maintain a positive relationship with your current customers and, in turn, will help you gain new customers because of your outstanding service and support reputation.

Case in point, I was out this weekend researching treadmills for an upcoming purchase. One of my questions to the sales rep was “What have other customers said about this treadmill?” For one particular machine the sales person immediately indicated that he heard their customer service was lacking and that it was very difficult to get service calls or repairs made. Based upon these customer reviews that particular treadmill was immediately removed from my possibilities list.

If your company has a great product, stellar sales and marketing support, and management teams that care, you are well on your way to getting customers. However, if you fail to provide a high level of customer support your product will quickly lose favor in the marketplace. Your customer service team must be trained and expected to meet the high service standards of your customers.

Creating a competitive advantage in the area of customer service takes time. You need to build your brand reputation. You need to ensure your team has the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate with your customers and provide them above-the-bar support. If your company needs help planning and implementing a customer service framework, it may behoove you to look for assistance from venture capital firms that focus on value add.