Excel at Customer Service

Arrrgghhh!  I hate being on the receiving end of bad customer services!   Why oh why would a company go to all the trouble, never mind cost, of getting a customer to sign on the dotted line and then treat them like an unwelcome surprise guest?

How Not To Do It

For the past two weeks, I have been trying to get my bank to return my calls and give me information that I need that will help me to grow my business.  Although I do not take this personally and see it indicative of a large business treating its customers badly, this has enraged me on so many fronts.

In a global recession, why would any business, especially a bank, not bother to get back to its customers?

My bank in particular has for many years, ran advertisements across all media, stating that they are not like other banks.  Business account holders instead have a personalised business manager.  In all honesty, I have no complaints about my business manager but the systems and procedures that the bank has. 

I spoke to the Banking Customer Services line and asked ‘what can I do to get my manager to return my calls’.  The Customer Services representative then proceeded to tell me what she could not do!  When I repeated my question, the only option left to me apart from leaving another message was to complain.  How ridiculous is that?

Customers Services as a Guerrilla Marketing Tool

So with my personal rant over, what has any of this got to do with marketing your business?  The most important point to remember, especially in the current challenging economy, is not to take your customers for granted. 

In any economy, customers/clients have the right to choose where to spend their money.  In a recession, your bottom line is just going to be affected so much more if you lose customers just because you have a hit and miss approach to customer services. 

If you are the only business offering a particular level of service, you can create a revenue generating niche for yourself.  Imagine a situation where you treat your customers well and their reward you by staying with you and spending more?

Manage Expectation About Your Level of Service

Make a commitment to your customers/clients and let them know what level of service they can expect from you regarding the products and services that you sell along with how you interact with them.  This can then become one of your marketing tools e.g. ‘next day service’, ‘we will get back to you in 24 hours’ etc. 

Get feedback from your customers - don’t just wait for a complaint before you respond to an issue.  Ask them what they want from you and then do everything that you can to make sure that you meet and exceed their expectations.

Free Online Tools

The web is a resource that is under utilised by many businesses.  It is fair to assume that many businesses in general could make more use of the web to grow their businesses. 

Technology is at the heart of guerrilla marketing as it creates a level playing field and allows entrepreneurs to flourish by defining a niche, automating processes and offering products to a targeted and segmented audience. 

21st Century OnlineIn the twenty first century there are so many cost effective or free options available.  Apart from an online brochure, the web allows you to create a relationship with customers/clients, to communicate with them on a regular basis, build a bond of trust and emphasise your expertise. 

 

The advent blogs, podcasts, forums, multi-media and social networking for business purposes and despite the size of your business, you can demonstrate your business acumen to a worldwide audience if you wish. 

Cost of entry is low – at minimum you need an internet connection and then you can either learn how to create your own website using various tools yourself or outsource the tasks to someone else.  If an ecommerce website is needed, then companies such as BT Tradespace and free online classifieds offer free web space to sell products online. 

Top five free online tool categories:

1. Sell online (free) – BT Tradespace, Free Classifieds
2. Social Networking – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter
3. Non Hosted Blogs – Blogger.com, Wordpress.com
4. Online Video/User Generated Content (UGC) – YouTube
5. Podcasts – Audacity Recording Software

Guerrilla Marketing Intro

Guerrilla marketing, aimed at small businesses and entrepreneurs, was introduced to the world in the early 70’s by the now legendary Jay Conrad Levinson.

In his international best-selling book, not surprisingly called ‘Guerrilla Marketing’, he outlines how to clearly define a seven step guerrilla marketing plan.  He also lists hundreds of low/no cost marketing ‘weapons’ (tools) which can be used to promote your business.

 
Guerrilla Marketing for SMEs
           
The term ‘Guerrilla’ in this context is a marketing methodology well suited for creative small businesses (SMEs) with smaller budgets.  This is in contrast to ‘traditional’ brand marketing used by big businesses with money to burn.  The Guerrilla marketer has a ‘can-do’ attitude and knows that building trusting relationships and rapport with prospects and customers is at the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy. 

Using a warfare analogy, the ‘guerrilla’ uses non-traditional techniques to outwit the opposition i.e. by combining a selection of marketing ‘weapons’ to grow profits with a unique array of ideas.  The guerrilla knows that the best battles include surprise attacks so marketing campaign ideas must be ‘out of the box’ – subterfuge at its best! 

Low or No Cost High Impact Marketing Techniques

The guerrilla marketer also knows that marketing must also have a high impact even if it is cost effective.  With technology at the core, the guerrilla marketer understands the psychology of target audiences and knows that communicating with prospects on a regular basis produces more meaningful results over the lifetime of the relationship. 

As a guerrilla marketer you must:

• Have a plan and stick to it.
• Know your market and create a relationship with your target audience.
• Promote the benefits of what you are offering and demonstrate value.
• Use a variety of low or no cost high impact marketing techniques knowing that online tools are essential.
• Operate within a niche - be a big fish in a small pond.