Best Practices for Improving Customer Service

Best Practices for Improving Customer Service

Table of Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Why You Should Read this ebook Understanding the Customer Experience Poor Customer Service and Your Bottom Line 5 Steps to Delivering Exceptional Service How to Make a Lasting Impression Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business The NexTraq Fleet Tracking Solution Share this ebook

1 Why You Should Read this ebook Customer service can make or break your business. With the service industry being so competitive, standing out among the crowd can be difficult. Not only do you have to deliver exceptional customer service, but you have to deliver it better than your competitors. So, what are you doing to keep your customers coming back? The purpose of this ebook is to inform service businesses of the importance of providing superior customer service. Included here is a snapshot of how customer service impacts your bottom line and what you can do to deliver outstanding service and stand out among the competition. Feel free to post and share this ebook with friends, contacts and colleagues.

2 Understanding the Customer Experience 80% of companies feel that they deliver superior customer service. 8% of consumers think these same companies deliver superior customer service. 8% 80% Do you know what your customers are really saying about your business? In order to evaluate your customer service, you need to gather and analyze customer feedback and metrics. Without this type of information, you may think your business provides superior service, but you have no data to prove it. Customer feedback can serve as an important tool to help you determine where you re succeeding and where you need improvement. 8 out of 10 Americans say they are willing to spend more to ensure an excellent customer experience.

3 Poor Customer Service and Your Bottom Line When your customers aren t happy, it s your business that pays the price. One negative customer experience can cause a ripple effect, leaving you with lost business and missed opportunities. Do you really want bad customer service to damage your reputation and your bottom line? 86% of people STOP doing business with a company because of BAD customer service. 86% 16 9 On average, consumers tell 9 people about positive experiences and 16 people about negative experiences. Positive Negative When you deliver poor customer service, you re delivering business to your competitors.

4 5 Steps to Delivering Exceptional Service Here are 5 steps every successful business should take to improve the customer experience: 1 Make a Positive First Impression: First impressions are lasting impressions. If your business makes a positive first impression on a customer, they are more likely to give repeat business and refer you to colleagues and friends. 2 Provide Quick Response Times: Customers don t like to be kept waiting. It s important that your employees arrive on schedule and complete jobs in a timely manner. 3 Carry Out Your Promise: If you provide your customer with an ETA, make sure it s accurate. Not only that, but make sure the job you said you would do, gets done. It s better to under promise and over deliver. 4 Do it Right the First Time: Carelessness and mistakes can really hurt your business. Make sure the job is done right the first time, so you can avoid customer complaints and lost business. 5 Listen to Your Customers: Your customers want to feel appreciated. It s important to engage with and listen to your customers. You can even create a loyalty program where you provide customers with special offers or discounts. This will show that you value your customers.

5 How to Make a Lasting Impression As we mentioned earlier, first impressions are lasting impressions. If you consistently make a positive first impression and deliver great service, you will see an increase in customer loyalty, retention and referrals. So, what can you do to make a lasting impression on your customers? Many businesses are utilizing GPS fleet tracking technology to help transform the customer experience. How can it benefit your business? With a fleet tracking solution, you can: Create efficient routes for your drivers and provide your customers with accurate ETAs. Ensure your drivers are arriving to appointments on schedule by monitoring vehicle location. Re-route your drivers on the fly to avoid traffic congestion, getting them to jobs quicker. Receive automated job status updates so you can make sure jobs are getting done on time. See where your drivers are in real-time, where they have been and how long they have been there, so you can resolve any customer disputes.

6 Choosing the Right Solution for Your Business When you re ready to take the first step towards transforming the customer experience, it s crucial to find the right solution for your business. Before choosing a fleet management provider, here are 5 questions to take into consideration: 1 2 How long has the company been in business? Do they have a proven track record of industry firsts? Do they offer top quality hardware? 5 3 Is the system reliable and easy to use? 4 Do they offer free, unlimited and ongoing training? It s important to also think about the customer service they offer. If they don t deliver exceptional customer service, are they really going to be able to help you improve your customer service levels?

7 The NexTraq Fleet Tracking Solution NexTraq is dedicated to helping our customers deliver superior service and stand out among the crowd. Check out how our customers have benefited from the NexTraq solution: The NexTraq solution is an excellent tool that makes you more efficient and improves customer relations. I guarantee it has made us more efficient. Kerry Taylor, President of Millersburg Electric The over-the-road trucking industry is very competitive. If a customer doesn t like you, they can easily find another company. My customer satisfaction has increased since implementing the NexTraq Fleet Tracking solution. Ivan Enev, President of World Way Inc. The ability to reroute a driver to a new service request has helped to improve our processes and ultimately, our customer service. Nathan Franklin, Electrical Engineer for Holston Electric Cooperative Interested in seeing if the NexTraq solution is the right fit for your business? Visit www.nextraq.com or call us at 800.358.6178. We look forward to hearing from you.