The Art of Winning the Customer

At startup, we are selling all the time.

• Products , Services => via Website,App listing

• Sales Emails , Chat ,Cold Calls =>Externally & direct

• Client communications beyond sales => indirect

• APP chats , Social Posts etc => visually & indirect

• Our presence , behavior , attitude => indirect

• Interaction among team members => internally and indirect

Customers are external, who directly pay us, and internal when they do not directly pay us.

Basically customers are everywhere.

Customers before placing the order.

The customer after placing the order!

Why is customer calling / Talking to us ? 

• He needs help faster and “right now”
• He is confused
• He is worried
• He can not find out how to get updates on his purchases
• He wants quick way to get problem solved
• He wants update on something that he asked us / ordered from us
• He is frustrated with something that is not working
• He does not want to take efforts to search or find himself
• WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE ARE IN HIS POSITION ?

Let’s get in Customer’s shoes

• Imagine yourself as customer of a startup
• Shipment is delayed , shipment is not confirmed, booking worries , product worries , etc., and the only people we can vent the frustration on is customer care!!

Art of being Calm

The calmer we are and the less disturbed our nerves, the more shall we love and the better will our work be.  - Karma Yoga

10 Commandments of Customer Care

As customer facing , we should be

• Patient : Wait for customer to complete and do not rush
• Active Listener : Listen actively , ask questions that probe in detail
• Willing to help : Customer has called to get Help , show that willingness to help
• Respond and not React : Take a pause in any reaction to customer
• Polite : Be polite and speak with concern for customer
• Soft Spoken : Do not speak harsh words irrespective of situation
• Action Oriented : The conversation should end with action point.
• Manage conversation - Start with Smile and then greeting, actively listen to customer and then respond, engage in positive conversation. Customers have stronger memory of engaging conversation.
• Learn to Say NO or apologize and accept mistakes. There will be times when you do not have answer or can not solve customer problem. Be honest and communicate clearly.
• Be CALM and at peace: Do not let any harsh words from customer affect your peace.

Remember that you are face of company and represent brand to customer.

Angry Customer  ? 

When we are angry

• We breath fast and quick
• We tend to react faster and say more harsh words than otherwise
• Are NOT Designed for sustained quick and fast breaths , after a while we run out of steam [ Just like Cheetah ]

When customer is angry

• let him speak first and complete.

• Hold reacting immediately. Wait for him to calm down and come out of anger zone.
• Show willingness to solve his problem , after all he wants solutions
• SOLVE HIS PROBLEM or be ACTION ORIENTED

Customer conversation should start with a smile on your face and end with smile on customer’s face.

Great Customer Service

• “Customers” remember the great or worse experiences than the product itself.

• This experience constitutes of experience of using product as well as pre-product and post-product purchases

• Great Service beats fast service all the time.

• Positive Attitude and Language is always a winner.

• Fake it until you make it.