The Boss of the Small Business Owner

Business owners enjoy a great deal of freedom. They get to create company policy and they have the final say on all the important decisions. Even better, they have no one to answer to. Or do they?

Business owners do have to answer to someone: the customer. If the customers are not pleased, then the business will fail, and the owner will have to find other employment. Customer service is an essential part of all business, and it is especially crucial for new, small businesses.

Why Customer Service Matters

Large businesses have something that small businesses lack: name recognition. Large businesses have served many customers in many places, and they have developed a reputation. Whereas small businesses might be inexperienced or even fly-by-night operations, large businesses can be trusted. Although large businesses might not be the best, they certainly are not a scam.

At the same time, many people prefer to support small, local businesses. They just need to know that they will not be ripped off. They also may want to be assured of a small business’s qualification. Small business owners need to understand these concerns and immediately prove that they are both trustworthy and properly experienced.

Even once a small business has customers, the owner’s work is not over. Customers must be completely satisfied with the service they received, otherwise they will not become loyal customers and they certainly will not refer the business to friends, family, and coworkers. Without excellent customer service, customers will not be satisfied.

Good Customer Service and the First Impression

The first impression is everything. More often than not, small businesses will not have an opportunity to make a second impression if the first impression is not excellent. When a customer first contacts a business, whether it is over the phone, through an email, or in person, the business owner must be friendly and informative. Nothing takes priority over the customers, and businesses should make this obvious to the customers. Customers should be greeted immediately. All questions should be answered thoroughly and any information that was not asked for but is relevant should also be provided. And, of course, all of this should be done with smile.

Many potential customers of new businesses will want to be assured that the business offers products and services of very high quality. If the business sells merchandise, the business owner should give proof of the products’ excellent workmanship. If the business provides services, than the owner should prove that he or she is qualified to offer these services. Just as people need to list their credentials in order to be hired for a job, business owners often need to list their credentials in order to get customers. This should not be surprising; the situations are very similar. In both cases, someone is trying to get someone else to pay them for doing something. And nobody wants to waste their money on somebody who does not know what they are doing.

Customers should not be expected to trust new small business completely, even after the business owner has attested to the company’s qualifications. Therefore, business owners should offer some sort of guarantee. This way, customers will know that if they are unsatisfied, there are steps they can take.

Employees: The Face of a Business

New small business owners need to choose employees very carefully. Employees are the face of a business, and customers will base much of their opinion of the business on the ability of the employees. Although this is true for any business, it is especially true for small businesses that do not have good reputations yet.

The business owner is responsible for hiring good employees, providing proper training, and offering incentives to do a good job. Business owners should hire employees who will take the business seriously and will make an extra effort to help customers. Good employees are consistently on time, friendly, and ready to work.

Of course, even a good worker cannot provide good customer service without the necessary training. Business owners should offer comprehensive initial training as well as continuing training. Employees should know everything – absolutely everything – about the products and services offered. Additionally, employees need to feel comfortable asking questions and making suggestions. Even a green employee might have some great ideas after working with customers day after day.

Finally, business owners should make sure that their employees are happy. Happy employees do not want to be fired, so they are more likely to do a great job and offer exceptional customer service. It is also beneficial to retain employees for a long as possible because long term employees are more knowledgeable and better able to provide great customer service.

Listen to the Customers

The final and most important aspect of great customer service is actually listening to the customers. Even when customers seem impossible to please, their complaints should be heard and addressed. Business owners need to remember that customers have many options; they do not need any one business, but businesses need as many customers as they can get.

Comment cards are nice, but most people assume that they are regularly thrown out without proper consideration. Instead of relying on impersonal cards, business owners should talk to their customers and make sure that they are satisfied. Displeased customers will not always say something without being prompted; more often than not, they will just not return. After a customer’s concerns are known, the business owner should go above and beyond to show that the problems are being rectified.

Keeping It Simple: What Small Business Owners Should Take Away

Without a solid reputation to fall back on, customer service can make or break a new small business. Small business owners constantly need to be aware of the customer service they are providing. Owners and their employees should prove to potential customers, new customers, and repeat customers that the company offers quality goods and services and is willing to do whatever it takes to guarantee each customer’s satisfaction.