5 Ways to Increase Customer Service Loyalty During Holiday Season

Arlington, VA, October 31, 2007 --(PR.com)-- The hustle and bustle of the holidays is here once again, with retailers large and small looking to increase their bottom line. But, what most of these retailers don’t realize is that it will take more than just a “One Day Sale” to keep their customers happy. In fact, a huge dose of exceptional customer service will need to be added to retailers’ great deals and bargains, if they want to keep their customers long after the holidays are gone.

Robert Moment (www.customerservicetrainingskills.com) , customer service consultant, business coach and author of Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service reveals 5 Ways to Increase Customer Service Loyalty During Holiday Season.

1. Cheerfully Manage Returns and Exchanges
Nothing is worse than a customer bringing their return or exchange to the customer service counter and being met by a frown or smirk on the cashier’s face.. Greet them with a smile, ask them what problems they experienced with the product, and facilitate the return or exchange as quickly as possible.

2. Take Ownership
One of the simplest, and yet most successful routes to exceptional customer service is to take ownership of the complaints you receive. Throughout this process, make sure that the customer knows who has ownership of the issue: customer representatives should give their names, and endeavor to remain with the issue until it is resolved.

3. Be Accountable
As tempting as it is to try to pass the buck, resist the impulse to apportion blame when dealing with a customer complaint: it’s unprofessional, and, as far as the customer is concerned, irrelevant. Deal with the issue in hand and make sure that resolving the issue remains the top priority.

4. Seek feedback
It’s difficult to know how well you’re performing in terms of customer service without asking the people who are best placed to tell you: your customers. Build satisfaction surveys into your processes: send questionnaires with your invoices or encourage staff to ask their customers how satisfied they are at the end of each call.

5. Create a culture of customer service from the top down
Although customer-focused staff find themselves at the sharp end of the customer service stick, exceptional customer service start at the very top - the CEO’s office. CEO’s must embrace the concept of providing exceptional customer service, measuring success and rewarding employees who meet and exceed the standards set.

It’s only when all of the above points come into play that the business benefit from the “invisible profits” driven by good customer service.

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Media Contact
Robert Moment
Customer Service Consultant, Business Coach and Author
The Moment Group
2200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 102
Arlington , VA 22201
Email: Robert@customerservicetrainingskills.com
Website: www.customerservicetrainingskills.com
Ph. 703.580.8002