Customer Service Within Your Business Model
Transparency is a subject that isn’t really touched on in most business settings, let alone within the realm of customer service. Transparency in a business setting means that your core business values, structure, and overall business model is completely known and easy to allocate within the different aspects of your business. That means that no matter what department within your company is being put on display, your main goals and structures are being presented in every angle. Looking at transparency within the perspective of customer service is something that many business models sometimes tend to keep a little more on the back burner. Even though customer service is a strong back bone within any company, big or small, there are many different ways to approach being able to relate and show your customers exactly what you are trying to convey within your business model. Taking a look and evaluating your transparency is a trait that will put your business at the forefront of whatever situation and perspective that it comes in front of.
Inline With Company Morales
What exactly leads to a transparent relationship between your company and your customers? Something to look at in a large retrospect is company culture. If the company culture is faulting and not leading with the transparency it is expecting, then there is no way for your employees to be able to feel comfortable with being transparent with customers. It all starts at the top, going back to basics and making sure everyone involved in the company is working their best to create a safe, encouraged and motivated culture. Make sure employees understand the morals of the company, what you are trying to portray to your customers and the values everyone’s word is creating. Once there is a sense of what is expected then you can expect it from everyone else. Making sure that the culture within the company is one of inclusivity is a big part of transparency. All of this trickles down to how your staff creates that transparency to your customers, who very much notice when the company culture is healthy and when it is not. Make this entire process easier on everyone and keep everyone on the same page with constant updates, that way everyone feels included in these types of news and knows what is expected and most of all you limit miscommunication.
Branding With Customer Service
Another great aspect of transparency with your customers and clients is creating a “face” for your company other than just being a business. Many customers are loyal to businesses that they know they can trust and that they feel they can relate to in a more interpersonal level. Not saying that just sharing something personal or talking to customers one on one will create this, but rather everyone knowing what your business stands for and what you are doing to help your customers. Branding your business with the essence of being more than a corporation can be difficult when you are just starting up and do not have the comfort of long time customers to fill in the gaps between feeling like you know your clients and being complete strangers. Once your clients see that there is more to the service they are being given than just an exchange or transaction, then there will be more of a relationship to be had there. Customer service fuels the rate in which your business either grows or comes to a standstill, so creating a transparent connection with customers is your first bet to becoming a staple business for them.
Stay Truthful With Your Customers
One of the biggest concerns about customer service and the way it affects business is the feeling you give your customers. That feeling is what they associate with your company and it does create an atmosphere that they either want to keep their business at or look for something new. Being transparent is being truthful and making sure you’re not promising your clients things that you have no intention or resources to deliver. Now that may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many customers state that as a main part of leaving a business and looking elsewhere for services. If customers feel like they are constantly being underwhelmed with what you are providing in comparison to what they were promised in the beginning to get their business, then there is a problem. Being the company you have promised and displayed to the public is the maximum of transparency.
Communication Is Key
Communication is a giant part of transparency. Making sure that your customers have complete access to communication with your business is an absolute must. They must feel like if there is a problem or even a concern or question, they are able to reach out. And not only reach out, but be listened to. Communication must be two-sided within customer service. It is not just about the customer listing off their complaints and concerns just to be heard and put onto a list of more complaints, but it must also be being responsive to your customers so they do know that their concerns are being heard. While some people just want to be heard, customer service should be an exchange of more than one voice and concern with the situation at hand. Once customers have this communication they are able to trust in the fact that you are handling their business careful and more than satisfactory.
Keep Your Customers Top Of Mind
Transparency can sound like a scary thing in the business world. It can sound like you have to put all your cards on the table and tell everyone all of your strategies that you are working so hard to pull off. But within the realm of customer service, it can be the one thing that keeps clients happy and at bay for the long run. Good customer service makes clients happy, but creating a relationship and business culture that makes them feel heard and respected will make them stay. And in the long run, clients stay because they appreciate your business efforts and respect the team behind it. With consistent communication that is open and honest, it is easy to create an environment where customers are comfortable and have no need to look elsewhere.