As someone who enjoys interacting with others, I’ve been fortunate to be able to pursue a career that’s people-centric in its nature, first as a bespoke travel planner and now as studio manager for Stories. Over these years, something I’ve learnt is – people don’t buy products, they buy experiences.
While it’s important to focus on your company’s offerings, customer service is essential to elevate your business to the next level. By providing a positive consumer experience, making transactions seamless from start to end, your business gains invaluable rewards such as customer retention, priceless endorsements like online reviews and referrals and even an overall boost to your brand image.
There’s no question that customer service is important. Rather the question is “How do we use customer service to generate business results?”.
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1. Suspend judgement
It’s easy to have a pre-conceived notion of who your intended clientele may be. We often formulate a view of someone from simple things like their profile picture, language spoken or even the way they worded their enquiry. This affects the manner in which we communicate with that person.
In reality, everyone is a potential client. By being open and treating all enquiries the same, you may find yourself surprised by some of the results!
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2. Build a connection
As the first contact with potential clients, I have the unique opportunity to build a connection with them and make a first impression on behalf of Stories. I always start by introducing myself and asking for their name so I may address them personally before spending some time to find out more about their enquiry. Simple gestures like this can go a long way! Being yourself while communicating also helps – it reminds them they’re speaking with a person and not a robot (for me this means lots of emojis and exclamation marks ;)).
Also read: 5 Business Lessons as a Creative Entrepreneur
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3. Go the extra mile
It’s easy to just forward packages and price lists to someone. However, taking the time to understand the client’s needs will help you better recommend packages more suited to their requirements and therefore help to boost sales. Sometimes you may even realise that their initial enquiry was about something totally different! People do want to buy. The fact that they’ve contacted you shows that they’re interested in your products. Make it easy for them to make that decision.
By going the extra mile from your end – whether it be explaining packages in detail, sharing information on past shoots or just ensuring timely responses to their messages, you may be helping the customer make the choice between your company over a competitors’.
Also read: Cultivating Discipline as An Entrepreneur
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4. Be genuine
Lastly, and this is a simple one – be genuine in your desire to help. The best way to give great customer service is just to be interested in the work you do and to be sincere. It also helps that you believe in the products and services that you are sharing too of course. Your thoughts can translate into choice of actions, tone of voice, and general attitude.
Start practicing these four habits in your daily interactions with people and be consistent. Not only will you gain more customers, but your customers will start to “market” your business for you, simply by sharing how great their experience was! We hope these tips will help your business growth and brand image, whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or you’re running a large company.
Speaking of brand image, find out more about how our Visual Brand Kit can help elevate your personal brand!
About Bin Bin
Bin Bin has a background in finance and travel designing. Being people-centric in nature, she now handles all client-related matters and assists with business development at Stories Business and Stories.my. When she’s not working, Bin Bin loves cooking and spending time in nature.
