Are you providing the right Customer Service?

The life of a business owner is ever changing. If you are not working on your business, it is dying. If you are not keeping up with the market changes, you are behind. If you do not pay enough attention to your competition, they will pass you. There are numerous challenges and parts of owning any business that you can not control, that you tend to over compensate on the parts of the business that you can control. 

For me one of the hardest parts is to maintain focus where it should be, on your customers. You can have a great product, no issues, no complaints, everyone is happy, or are they? Do you really know who your customers are? Your customers can easily be each retailer that sells your product. Your customer can be the carrier that delivers your product to the end user. And, most obviously, your customer is the end user. What are you doing to provide them service?

You see, so many times we are easily caught up in the life of a business owner.  We know what we have to get done, and we get it done. We know what to keep tabs on, or know how to do it enough to not fall behind. But do we treat each of our customer bases with appreciation?  With respect? With the utmost importance that they feel without them we would have no business at all? How do we show the good customer service?

I believe that my good friend Michael Vail, Owner of Cedar Sense, is 100% correct that in order to thrive as a company in today's marketplace, you need to hit it hard on three levels, Brick and Mortar, Online, and Amazon.

Brick and Mortar is my favorite, because I am a people person! I love to not only meet new people, but know that I am contributing to their lives. This customer base gives me the opportunity to meet new owners, their employees, and make sure that their customers are happy with my product. I get to see the service I provide to the owners.  I get to make sure that they know how much I appreciate them, their employees.  I get direct feedback on what I can do better, so that I can constantly improve their sales, and in turn mine.

Online has its own rewards, as it gives you direct contact with the end user. I get to answer their questions, listen to their concerns and new product ideas.  I get to interact more directly with them, and hopefully make them feel that they are able to connect with the owner who truly does care. Of course, my contact is typically limited to email, so I do not get the opportunity to provide this form of service as often as I would like.

Amazon is an animal of its own. Due to their monstrous size, I am not always able to communicate with my end user. I rarely get to talk to any of their employees, and I do not get to talk to the couriers as well. Providing good customer service requires me to know my product inside and out. Know what words my customer thinks of when searching for my product.  What pictures I can provide them to show that I know what their intent is with my product.  This in turn serves Amazon because they make more money off of my product, but their customer as well.  

Each of these three platforms allow for a different revenue stream, but more importantly allow me a different viewpoint to focus on my business. I challenge each of you to stay engaged with your customers, all of them. Teach yourself to look to provide a service to everyone that comes in contact with you, your product, and your future products.  

Always keep in mind that there truly may not be a single thing that separates the quality of your product from the rest of your competition. The one differentiating factor that is totally within your control is the service you provide to all customers that you come in contact with. Make each encounter a positive one!