Develop a Customer-Care Programme

Like every part of a well-run business, you need to establish a system for caring totally for your customers.

Creating a system or a customer-care programme means good service is planned, instead of happening ‘ad hoc’ or reactively.

For example, a customer-care programme could include responsibilities that your business:

§  Calls the customer a few days after their visit to check they are happy with the product or service

§  Keeps in touch regularly with your ‘A-grade’ customers and invites them to promotional events

§  Offers incentive vouchers when customers spend over a certain amount

§  Offers money-back guarantees if the customer is not satisfied

§  Commits to being on-time for service call-outs (if not on time, the customer receives a discount)

§  Keeps customers informed about what you offer

§  Reacts quickly and efficiently to customer complaints, and is committed to solving any problems

§  Establishes a system for answering phone calls and taking messages

§  Anticipates customer needs before your customers do!

Smaller businesses have the advantage of knowing their customers more personally than bigger organisations. Capitalise on the personal service you can offer. By developing your relationships with your important customers, you will understand their needs and be better equipped to anticipate their demands before they do.

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Dare to Be Different

To continue to compete in a competitive market, small businesses need to pool the talents of their staff and continue to be innovative.  Whether large or small, any business has the potential to improve their bottom line, do something better or differently, create a new product or service or find a new market outlet.  You have to keep progressing to be successful.

But to achieve this your business needs to share knowledge and think creatively.  From what we know about the younger generation of workers today, they demand it.  Nowadays, the knowledge and the thinking cannot come from you in isolation behind your desk (although you do need uninterrupted thinking time); it has to come from everyone who works for you.

It means encouraging your staff to bring their brains to their desks and not leave them at the front door.  People feel valued when they can have input into decisions and change.  You need to respect their ideas and suggestions.

But you have to create the culture to make this happen, and it will take time. 

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