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We often hear the terms Customer Care and Customer Service interchanged, but each has their defining moments to which we must pay serious attention.
Traditionally, customer service is the overall mentality on which businesspeople and sales professionals concentrate. However, the extra step is to include customer care. Without caring, ‘bad press’ becomes unavoidable, discouraging earning a returning and referring clientele, the definition of a Smooth Sale. One recent experience motivates our blog, How Business Growth Depends on Customer Care and Service.
Growth Depends on Customer Care and Service
A recent visit to a restaurant for a family celebration inspires today’s blog post. The goal is to increase awareness of every element surrounding you, your business, and your clientele to create favorable, memorable events and encourage working with you repeatedly.
The Restaurant Non-Favorable Experience
A reservation was efficiently made upfront, and we were taken to a table large enough to accommodate everyone. The host and the serving staff were professional and accommodating. But our enthusiasm quickly faded.
Non-Existent Customer Care
It quickly became evident that only customer service was in the picture, but ‘caring’ didn’t enter the equation. Almost instantly, we heard a thunderous grinding of coffee beans adjacent to our table. Moreover, the noise filled practically the entire room. We could not hear ourselves think, let alone talk. That’s hardly the atmosphere wanted for a celebration of any type!
I asked the host to seat us at another table but was told it would take about 45 minutes. Sadly, we had to remain where we were sitting. One had to stand up to speak to someone at the opposite end of the large table. The anticipated energetic conversation was merely a fantasy, not our reality.
Solution or Ongoing Issue
Anytime a problem arises, especially an evident one, immediate steps must be taken to find the proper remedy. Otherwise, a loss of clientele is almost guaranteed. Sadly, given the entire room’s appearance, the restaurant has undoubtedly had the seating arrangement in place for a long time.
The restaurant would benefit from moving the coffee station into the kitchen, helping reduce the noise. Most people dine out to enjoy the experience and the cuisine; larger parties also want to have fun and stimulating conversations. Attention to all the details concerning the customer experience is critical for encouraging return visits. Accordingly, customer care (caring about customers) heavily affects the likelihood of earning client loyalty and referrals.
Problem-Solving
As an entrepreneur, corporate employee, or the CEO of a mega business, ignoring issues or complaints on any level will only harm the business further. It’s critical to hear the complaints to resolve any issue fully.
It’s critical to maintain a positive attitude. Carefully listening to what you hear and asking questions for clarification may help you resolve issues before they repeat and open your thought process to new ideas for expansion. When we pay strict attention to a challenge, it can almost appear as a gift in disguise, as new ideas often embolden our business plan.
Time for Reflection: Business Growth Depends on Customer Care and Service
It would be a rarity for a company or solo entrepreneur never to receive a complaint or criticism. During one’s free time, it is wise to reflect on all the experiences, good and bad, that occur daily and weekly to revise ongoing goals that will ultimately lead to your desired success. It’s wise to frequently examine whether you are doing everything possible to promote customer care and service.
Some people do well with meditation and yoga, while others enjoy free-flowing thoughts while outdoors or exercising in the gym. The critical point is to accept that new ideas will likely come your way. Examine each new thought in detail to realize how you may implement it to fit in with your long-term vision. Next, establish a routine for receiving more novel ideas to build a robust business.
Conclusion: How Business Growth Depends on Customer Care and Service
Unexpected negative experiences are typical and must be accepted as they are our starting point for improvement. Ignoring issues never solves anything and, sadly, often has the opposite effect, and that is turning off one’s clientele. Best of all, upsets can guide us toward a better direction, positioning the business for a more fulfilling outcome.