You don’t have to be an expert to know that one single word can change everything.
The impact words have on people becomes even more important when you have to deal with an unhappy customer. If you are a small business owner with little customer service experience, it’s hard to tell what phrases will trigger a negative reaction that can potentially damage your reputation. You might not know why the customer is upset or for how long they’ve been unsatisfied, but it’s your job to fix the problem.
Unless you’ve gained a reputation as an industry leader or were a first-mover, then you should know that having a great product/service is just half of the game won. Customer service can make or break your small business in multiple ways. From not knowing how to handle an angry client to reps that don’t understand your core message, the experience you deliver to your customers is just as important as the product you’ve developed.
Imagine you walk into a room and switch on the light. You expect the room to light up, and that’s exactly what happens most of the time.
The same stands true for good customer service. Today’s consumers expect brands to offer stellar customer support. Even though great customer service is good for your small business’s reputation, it’s not enough.
What’s the first thing you do before buying a product?
If you are anything like the regular shopper, you read some reviews. According to recent reports, around 30% of users check out reviews on Amazon before buying a product. Another 13% of them head to Google to search for comments on blogs and forums.
On the Easter Sunday of 2009, two Domino’s Pizza’s employees filmed themselves sticking food up their noses and then putting it on a sandwich that was to be delivered to a customer. The duo filmed themselves taking part in other bizarre acts with the food, violating several health-code standards. The video was published on YouTube where it went viral instantly.
Back in 2014, Malaysia Airlines launched a competition in Australia and New Zealand. The purpose of the online marketing campaign was to boost the airline’s image after the tragedies of MH17 and MH370. But, the competition had an odd and inappropriate name: “My Ultimate Bucket List.” The association was grim, considering that 537 people lost their lives flying the airline that year.
Managing online reputation is tricky in the modern era, as companies like Malaysia Airlines, Volkswagen, or SeaWorld prove. That’s why you need to measure every action carefully before launching it into the digital space, including your SEO strategy.
Back in 2012, internet user Shane Bennet, a Samsung fan, asked the company for a free smartphone. To charm the company, he also sent them a drawing of a dragon in his offer.
Samsung didn’t send Bennet a phone, but to make him feel good, they’ve included in their message a drawing of a kangaroo riding a unicycle.
The man shared the drawings on social media where they went viral. So, Samsung sent him the smartphone and personalized the case with his dragon artwork.
Sometimes, getting smacked in the face with cold hard truths is the best way to see your mistakes. No one likes a slap in the face, but the harsh reality is that it’s the only way to grow. That is especially true in online reputation management where it’s easy to get fooled by vanity data and lose sight of what really matters to customers.
How great does it feel when hard work finally pays off? After months of dedicated effort, you managed to build a steady customer base. This step alone deserves a virtual pat on the back. But, before you pop open the champagne, you need to think your next step very carefully. If your customers aren’t satisfied with your product or service, your reputation might suffer. Not to mention that customers will go to the competition before you can say “client retention.”
There’s been a photo that’s been circulating on social media for quite some time. It’s a snapshot of a conversation between an Amazon customer service rep and a customer whose package failed to arrive on time. The customer initiated the chat and a representative, who introduced himself as Thor, responded. The two talked about the delivery issue as Thor and Odin.