Inc. Magazine recentlyreviewed the book Exceptional Service, Exceptional Profit (AMACOM, $21.95) by Leonardo Inghilleri and Micah Solomon. As its title implies, this book links customer service to the bottom line. The main gist is that customer service wins over customers and creates loyalty. Loyal customers will remain with companies that they like.
Micah Solomon, one of the book’s authors, recently wrote the article: Seven Keys to Building Customer Loyalty for FastCompany magazine. According to Solomon:
A personal bond with customers lets your company escape the commodity pricing wars and provides you with a powerful new marketing arm: loyal customers who will promote and defend your company online and off–for free.
Clearly, loyalty pays off two ways: in direct sales to the customer but also in “free” promotion.
Solomon’s seven keys are:
- Good first interaction
- Speedy service
- Personal customer care (no robots)
- Remember customer’s preferences
- Anticipate wants/needs
- Train your team on the proper way to speak to customers
- Work hard to find suitable customer service employees
Even though going the extra customer service mile may cost more in the short term, the loyalty that it can build will pay off in the long term.
What are your thoughts on building customer loyalty?
