A short Salesforce YouTube video (uploaded Jun 24, 2020) advising small businesses how to offer great customer service using a lean approach. It presents three key strategies: meet customers on their preferred channels (phone, email, listings, social media), enable self-service through FAQs/help guides to save time, and personalize interactions by maintaining context about customers to build lasting relationships.
Even without having a big call center or multiple service agents on hand, small businesses are more than capable of offering great customer service. For small businesses to be successful with a lean approach to customer service, there are three key strategies they should keep in mind. The first is to meet customers where they are. That might be over the phone, over email, on business listing sites, or through social media. It's important for small businesses to know which channels customers love to use. That way they can reach them quickly and easily. The second strategy is helping customers help themselves. A simple online help guide or FAQ page can answer the most commonly asked questions that small business customers have. Not only does it save time for the customer, it also saves time for the business. In other words, the key to better, more efficient service is often self service. The last strategy is to have context on your customers. Knowing who your customers are and what's important to them is critical for making a support interaction feel personal and for a great overall experience. In fact, a personal touch is often what makes folks want to do business with a small company. They want relationships, not just transactions. Following those strategies will allow you to lay the foundation for great customer service, outstanding customer experiences, and lasting customer relationships.
