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10 lessons every entrepreneur should learn about
customer service
by Sujan Patel | Apr 29, 2015
1. Listen:The biggest mistake any business owner can make when it comes to customer
service is to assume that they understand what the customer wants. Don’t approach a
customer with a list of scripted questions– simply ask how they use your product or
service, what they like, and what they don’t. Then listen. What you gain– if you’re willing
to listen without judgement– will be invaluable.
2. Keepyour promises:Promises are a very big deal to customers. It doesn’t matter if
they’re made by a front-line representative or by the CEO, customers expect promises to
be kept. If your company does a poor job following through on anything from promised
upgrades, to a cancellation policy, you’ll lose customers and public trust very quickly.
3. Findthebesttoolstoprovidethebestservice:Customer tracking and service can’t be done
on sticky notes, but being tempted into buying the cheapest customer relationship

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management (CRM) software can be just as problematic. Don’t do it. Instead, think
about how to best empower your employees to give the service your customers deserve,
and buy the CRM (or any other tool needed) that will make that happen. Your customers
and staff will thank you for it.
4. Youcanwinthebattleandlosethewar:This lesson relates specifically to disagreements
with customers, and it can be a difficult one to learn. Too many entrepreneurs are so
narrowly focused on what it’ll take for their businesses to succeed, that they fail to notice
when exceptions to established policies are necessary. Perhaps a customer is asking for
something that’s against your policy. Maybe a customer wants a refund you normally
wouldn’t grant. Before you simply say “No,” consider the cost of the exception compared
to the lifetime value of a customer. While you can’t give every person out there a
discount, ask yourself if it’s worth it to win this argument at the cost of losing the
business.
5. How toavoidabrandmeltdownonline:In our hyper-connected world, it’s inevitable that
someone’s going to say something nasty about you on social media at some point.
That’s just the reality of being the public figurehead of a customer-facing company.
What’s important, though, is how you handle it. Whether it’s you or another staff
member, make sure that the person in charge of your social media accounts is cool
under pressure and focused on building trust and goodwill. Responding appropriately
when these situations occur is one of the best ways to avoid a brand meltdown online.
6. Customersexpectyou tobe available: You probably already know that having a customer
service line that operates 9am – 5pm on weekdays won’t cut it anymore. But what you
may not know is that customers expect you to be available on more platforms than ever

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before. If you rely only on online forums or don’t have real-time chat or email service
available, it’s time to offer better service to interact with your customers where they are.
7. Hireemployees onattitudeandskills:When you hire someone into your business, it’s
important to ensure that they not only have the skills to do the work, but that they have
the right attitude. You only ever want helpful, friendly people in your business. When you
hire people with a positive, cooperative attitude, you’ll be much better positioned to offer
the kind of customer service that will stand out in your industry.
8. Yourstaffwilltreatcustomersthewaythey’retreated:Simply put, you can’t treat your staff
poorly and expect them to give amazing customer service to your clients. As an
entrepreneur, you should consider your employees like you would your customers, and
strive to give them an amazing experience every day that they come to work.Creating
this type of atmosphere doesn’t have to be expensive. Simply making it a point to say
thank you for great work when you see it can go a long way towards building employee
confidence. But if you make it a point to treat your staff the way you’d like them to treat
your customers, they’ll pass that “wow factor” on to everyone who interacts with your
business.
9. Have acomplainthandlingsysteminplace:One study conducted in 2013 demonstrated
that 56% of customers who made a complaint got nothing in return, and there is nothing
more frustrating to an already-angry customer than making a complaint and getting no
results. Even if you can’t fulfill a customer’s every desire, make sure that they at least
feel heard. Whether it’s a letter, a callback, or even an email, make sure to give a
personalized message and to inform the customer about how the concern was handled.

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10. Youcan’tcontrolwhat you don’tmeasure:When you’re trying to provide the best service
possible, the proper measurement of your efforts is essential. Just as you wouldn’t
deploy a landing page without tracking its impact on sales, you should have systems in
place to understand how your service is going. Surveys can supply important data
points, as can follow-up emails, and random sampling outcalls.Customer service isn’t an
area that can be overlooked in any business, no matter how high quality your product or
service is. By learning these 10 lessons and applying them to your company, you’ll find
yourself on your way to making a great impression on customers, and growing your
business as a result.