European Inspired Designer Customer Service Wins Gold For Milan Direct
European Inspired Designer Customer Service Wins Gold
A fresh approach to customer service
Next Telecom are on a mission to lead with personalised customer service excellence
New Awards Pay More Than Lip Service To Customer Service
Does your company offer excellent customer service?
People matter at Infopeople
In the tough world of IT recruitment, putting people first is a sure fire winner
Good service is good business
Customers and customer service. Both go hand-in-hand, and both are essential to the success of your business.
Customer service excellence drives Switched On Mechanical
What truly differentiates one business from another, is the customer experience.
Quinntessential Marketing score 87% for customer Service
Specialist recruitment marketing consultancy wins Gold Award
Leaky pipes + Excellent Service = TDS Plumbing
We aim to go above and beyond your expectations when our plumber is in your home, that’s a guarantee
Award winners enjoy Healthy Benefits with Medibank VIP
Healthy Employees = Great Customer Service
Blackhawk get the logistics of customer service just right.
Blackhawk prides itself on the provision of exceptional customer service
Regal Mattress Outlets don't snooze when it comes to customer service.
Platinum Award recognises service excellence
A healthy focus on customer service strikes Gold for Melaleuca
Healthy products + Great service = Gold Award for leading wellness company
Athletes Foot put in a Gold Medal Performance
"Everything's personalised with them. You never feel like you’re a number. You actually feel appreciated.”
Image Smart win Gold Award
Putting customers first is smart business at Image Smart
Cash Doctors bank on great customer service
With Cash Doctors great customer service is money in the bank
Free Customer Service Articles
Free information, views and opinions on customer service from around the world
Personalised customer service comes as standard with Dr Phills
Custom kitchen and cabinetry designer wins Silver customer service award
Great service keeps customers coming back at Wotif.com
Servicing 170,000 customers a month takes a truly dedicated focus on customer needs
Why Nominate?
Why you should consider the Australian Customer Service Awards program
Venture Cycles pedal hard for Gold Award Win
Noosas biggest and best bike shop go further to deliver customer service excellence
Are Your Employees Scaring Off Customers?
Think about the last time you called a customer service line and were treated poorly.
The future looks bright for The Sunglass Fix
The future looks bright for NSW based sunglass lens replacement company The Sunglass Fix.

Featured Award Winners

Award Partners

Service With A Smile
Do you remember the days of “service with a smile” and “the customer is always right”? The days when companies went out of their way to assure customer satisfaction out of pride for their trade and the well-known fact that a happy customer is a returning customer? Those days seem long gone now, don't they?

Especially when dealing with big companies, one often gets the feeling that, as a customer, they can take you or leave you. Getting through to an actual person by telephone can truly test one's patience and even then there's the risk of being disconnected just as the other person asks for your name. If, by some miracle, a conversation actually occurs, the overall impression all too often tends to be one of being sent around the block, with no evident solution to any problems.

There's a widespread trend of general distrust in true customer care. As a small business, there is only one thing that you can do about this and that is to offer a far better customer service than people have come to expect these days.

A happy customer is a returning customer, and the value of word of mouth marketing should not be underestimated. If you take good care of your clients, your clients will often take good care of you and be quite happy to recommend your products and services.

If a potential customer contacts you with a query, a friendly person on your end of the phone can provide an excellent first impression. For a small business, spending a few extra minutes with this customer is not a waste of time and money. If the client wants thorough advice, provide them with just that. Some kind and (depending on your line of business) sympathetic words will not go amiss. Making the client feel that you care is a big step towards potential business in the future.

If an order has been placed, and the client rings up to ask a few extra questions, do not make them feel like they are “bugging” you. Express an appreciation for their communication and maintain friendly throughout, even if you are overloaded with work and they've already asked the same or similar questions in the past. The customer is parting with money and you are providing a service. They have a right to ask questions and expect excellent customer care, no matter how big or small the service you are providing them with.

On the rare occasion that a client experiences a problem with the product or service you have provided them with, it is crucial to express care and concern. It does not hurt to say you are sorry to hear what happened, even if it is still unclear which end is responsible for the problem. Assure your client that you, personally, will take care of the situation and resolve it to mutual satisfaction. Needs be, go above and beyond your duties to indeed assure that this happens.

It helps to remember that a problem is not a problem if it can be solved. Errors happen, but if you take good care of your customers, in all likelihood they will still be happy to recommend your company to others – because you provided an excellent service and after care. The faith your customers have in you will reflect on your business and help it grow.

As a small business owner or employee, I have no doubt that you take great pride in your products and services. If you let that pride and belief shine through to your clients, and look after them well, I am certain that your business will be a great success.

Is your customer service winning or loosing you business?  Find out by nominating your company for an Australian Customer Service Award today.

© Copyright 2006 Kittiara (UN: kittiara at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.