Actions Speak Loudest in Keeping Customers Satisfied

Actions Speak Loudest in Keeping Customers Satisfied
 “First we will be the best, and then we will be the first.” – Grant Tinker – American TV executive
The key to customer satisfaction is service, and there is no limit to the best customer service.
Take the example of a software copying company that had worked over the weekend to meet the deadline of an established customer. After the company finished the duplicating and packaging on Sunday, it received a call from the customer complaining that the prototype copy of the software was bad. Never mind that the customer had previously verified the prototype.
The company immediately sent a new prototype and worked literally around the clock to finish the order only one day late. Moreover, the company declined payment for the extra work. At the customer's insistence, the company agreed to bill for $2,500 labor only. A check soon arrived, but for $5,000 instead of the requested $2,500. A case of champagne accompanied the check. The goodwill created by this special service was incalculable.
Making it happen. Here are some suggestions for keeping customers happy over the long term:
1. Top service starts at the top. The most important way for a CEO to signal support for a service orientation is by his or her actions, not words.
2. Don't neglect maintenance and repairs. Even if you only break even, don't turn customers off by failing to offer maintenance and repair work or doing it poorly.
3. Monitor your customers. Try to contact all customers, either by phone or letter, at least once a year to check with them as to how well you are serving their needs. This survey can be as simple as asking customers to rate your performance on a scale of 1 to 10.