Customer relations are critical to every company regardless of size or how long you’ve been in business. The image you offer to consumers can make or break how well you perform in general and when it comes to your profits, it is crucial to get it right. What a customer sees when they visit your business offers them an idea of how professional you are and how you conduct things, and it will often be enough to let them know whether or not they want to do business with you at all. Read on for some ideas on how to make the customer experience a positive one and ensure anyone coming to your premises feels at ease.
Well Designed Waiting Areas
If you have a waiting room or area, make it a pleasant space for customers to wait. There are many ways to improve the design of your waiting room, anything from furniture choice and location to providing means for alerting clients of delays. Choose neutral and soothing colors to put guests at ease while they wait, and have a decent selection of reading materials on hand in case of a delay or wait.
If there is anything in or around the waiting room – or the entire premises, come to that – that needs to be repaired or tidied, make sure you do these jobs as a matter of urgency. Some of the work you can do yourself, but others, such as repairing steel porch will require a professional. Don’t try to skimp but get the repairs done by an expert as it will make a huge difference to how comfortable your customers feel when at your premises.
Provide Complimentary Tea And Coffee
Offering visitors to your premises free hot beverages such as teas and coffee is a simple gesture and one that you might not think means a lot, but although it is a small thing, it will make them feel appreciated; they will know you’re glad they’re there.
Depending on the size of your business and how much you are willing to spend on this, you could do anything from having a DIY kitchen for people to make their own drinks to a vending machine to a state of the art coffee maker and even a staff member to make the drinks on the customer’s behalf.
Keep Appointments
This should go without saying, but it’s astonishing how many small company owners are overworked and too busy to get to appointments on time. They are often late or skip appointments altogether even when they are at their own premises. This is bad for your reputation and should be avoided. Instead, make sure that the appointment is scheduled into your day and ensure it is the most important part of whatever it is you’re doing.
A customer who has made the effort to come to you for whatever it is they need won’t be impressed if you keep them waiting for too long and will be even more upset if you ignore them altogether. It is going to take a lot more time and effort to persuade a customer you were late for to buy from you than it would persuade someone you were on time for.
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