Customer service points way ahead

Darrin Walsh.

Happy New Year to you all!

Rotorua has been full, with motels and hotels at capacity, retailers have experienced very good trade and our restaurants and cafes have also seen an increase in business.

We have new families moving into the area and property rental demand is high.

The local economy is starting to pick up and our discretionary spending is on the increase.

So now is a good time to look inwardly at your business.

How well do you fare in respect to your competitors when it comes to:

-making a sale;

-obtaining repeat business? What point of difference do you offer your customer base? Is it the product range? Is it easy parking and access? Or is it simply cheaper to shop with you?

Many business owners agonise over this and some unfortunately never get it.

Yes it can be all of the above but there is one variable your business has that your competitors will never have ... you and your staff.

The service you and your team provide is the key difference you have over all your competitors so it is important you get this right.

Most people in business get this in theory but it gets lost in translation with staff and sometimes we are just too caught up in other things.

If you succeed in delivering great customer service with every transaction then it only goes without saying that you will keep those customers and grow your business through word of mouth and referrals.

I can't overstate just how important great customer service is for your business and the flip side to that is the effect indifferent or poor customer service will have on your business.

Remember, the customer is the boss. Your customers pay your and your staff's wages.

The key is to provide good service at all of your customers' touch points - that is on every interaction you have with them.

Customer touch points are your brand's points of customer contact, from start to finish. For example, customers may find your business online or in an ad, see ratings and reviews, visit your website, shop at your retail store, or contact your customer service call centres.

Seems like a long list, but these are just a few of your touch points.

If they have a bad experience at any of these points of contact it will have an adverse impact on your business.

It can seem daunting but obtaining a consistently good level of customer service is what a business should always strive for.

The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce will be holding a customer service workshop on March 5 between 9am and 1pm, aimed at delivering:

* the importance of customer service

* recognising the touch points on your customers' journey

* the pitfalls and trampolines of customer service

* meeting individual customer needs

* including interactive discussion and video.

Full details of this workshop will be advertised in due course.

- Darrin Walsh is chief executive of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce