The Hidden Power of Your Customers: Four Keys to Growing Your Business Through Existing Customers

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE NEW MARKETING

A friend of mine staying at a hotel realized he had forgotten his toothbrush and so was relieved to see a sign in his room indicating that the hotel offered replacements for commonly forgotten items. But when he went down to the front desk to ask for a toothbrush, the desk clerk informed him that they didn't have any, then referred him to the gift shop, where he could purchase one. My friend shared this story the next day at a workshop where he was giving a seminar (the reason for his trip). Consequently, one of the participants, who had been planning to spend quite a bit of money at that same hotel, began to reconsider his plans based on my friend's experience, thinking that if the hotel didn't follow through on the little things, how could it possibly attend to the more important needs of its customers?

Perhaps you have heard someone say that “customer service is the new marketing.” This isn't a new concept; every customer-company touch makes another brand impression on the customer, especially in customer service (whether delivered in person, by phone, via e-mail, through social media, or by self-service). Each customer service representative says more about the brand by how a customer is treated than any marketing campaign possibly could.

What does your customer service department say about your brand?

Making an Impact

Getting customer service right is one of the most influential efforts a company can make to increase customer loyalty and ...