How Solopreneurs Can Excel at Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service is necessary for making a brand sustainable, and yet, companies fail to achieve the required score in this aspect of managing their business. According to a survey conducted by American Express, only 62% customers reported that the companies they engage with provide satisfactory customer service. It was a decline of 3% as compared to 2010. 5% customers in 2014 indicated that the companies had exceeded their expectations. This figure was 7% in 2010, again a declining trend. Offering excellent customer service is critical for building the brand equity and loyalty among the consumers.

Solopreneurs find it even harder to provide excellent customer service as only one person is manning the shop or office and doing probably everything needed to run the business.

However, these firms need to deliver exceptional customer service more than any other type of organization since they have a limited number of clients and losing them could mean a complete disruption of their business.

Here are some of the most efficient ways through which micro businesses can provide the best customer service.

Prioritize customer service

One man shops rely entirely on the owner to engage in all aspects of the business. It means that customer service can take a backseat in the pursuit of profit. However, it’d also mean that in the absence of good customer service, there’s an excellent chance that once the customers buy your product or service, they won’t return. Getting a new client is much harder than retaining an existing customer. Thus, unless you prioritize customer service over profit, you might fail to keep them. Hence, it is crucial that customer service should be the primary focal point of your business, even more than profit. Use customer service to strengthen your brand equity, which will help you build a strong base of loyal customers.

Unleash the power of social media

If you aren’t doing it already, it’s time to start! Social media is the best way to engage your clients and potential clients. Mediums like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others enable you to directly engage with your target audiences without the need for an intermediary. Twitter is one of the most powerful social media tools when it comes to engaging with customers and resolving their queries. It also helps you build a sustainable brand and a community which can be utilized to grow sales as well.

Install a live chat tool on your website

Installing a live chat tool on your site would mean that your customers will be able to communicate with you in real time. Live chat is a potent tool for building brand image, customer engagement, and sales. It is because of the consumer psychology that they would trust a brand if they speak to someone representing it directly. In the case of a one-man shop, the impact is likely to be higher since the person representing the brand is also its owner and is more passionate about their products or services. This passion of the proprietor will reflect in their interactions with the clients, ultimately making a strong impression on them. You may find it overwhelming to type answers to every query while you are busy with other stuff. Self-help resources save a lot of time and boost customer satisfaction.

Integration of service tools with mobile apps

If your business has a mobile app for the consumers, integrate customer service tools to it so that they can place their queries directly through it without the need to explore other means to communicate with you. It’ll save their time, which they will appreciate thereby helping you build a strong reputation among them. It’ll also help you project a strong professional image as your customers will perceive you as a highly responsible person who cares for them.

The way you provide customer service determines your success and efficiency. It is also an effective method of building a strong personal brand since the business and owner brand isn’t different. Enhancement of the brand reputation of one of them helps improve the other, and an excellent customer service is a key to it.