CLIENT MANAGEMENT aka CUSTOMER SERVICE

Client Management or Customer Service is all about touching the customer’s heart, making a place in his mind to dwell long after your product has outlived its utility, or your service has been completed. In other words, to retain a permanent position, not in the hard disk of his computer or the cloud, but in his memory, qualifying for a slot in his “top of the mind” recalls log.

Many tend to overlook this prime objective while dealing with a client or an individual customer for a very simple reason; they forget the fundamental fact as to who is actually paying the salaries to everyone, right from the top to the bottom of their organisation.

It is this lack of acknowledgement that takes away the magic of personal touch from client management or customer service, replacing it with indifference, if not callousness. As a result, you will find people responding to phone calls from their clients and customers with pre-fed Text Messages that read like this:

“Can you call me later?”

“Can’t talk right now!”

You cannot imagine its effect on the caller who has to probably take a vital decision based on your response. After all, his time is as precious to him, as yours is precious to you.

?"If you make a sale, you can make a living. If you make an investment of time and good service in a customer, you can make a fortune."?

– Jim Rohn, Author and Motivational Speaker

And, if you truly believe that your customer is enabling you to put the next meal on your family’s table, doesn’t that one factor qualify him to receive a more deserving response? Doesn’t he deserve to hear “from” you rather than he reaching out “to” you later once more, perhaps to receive the same text message repeated once again?

It’s not very difficult to imagine the peace of mind you will be extending to him when you text him saying,

“Can I call you back later?”

or

“Can’t talk right now, will call you ASAP”.

And, if you’re going to be preoccupied for a long time, then keep a text ready that allows one of your colleagues to handle the situation.

“I may take long; will ask a colleague to call you.”

And, please make sure you let your colleague know to call the client or customer.

These SMALL matters make a BIG difference for your corporate clients or individual customers because they are Humans first, then a Client or a Customer. Human Touch is the most effective factor in client management and customer service that builds an unshakable bond which your competitors cannot break easily. Handling clients or customers with kid gloves is out; pampering them like your most beloved, delicate pets is in!

~ Mazher H. Syed

December 22, 2022