Customer Service: The Cornerstone of PR

So often in this crazed, time-and money-driven world, the most important thing is often overlooked; customer service. As someone who has worked in the customer service industry for seven years I can recognize good service when I see it. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more rare these days.

I can tell whether an individual has ever worked in customer service or not. Chances are, if they have, they are good tippers, they are respectful, and they know how to treat others in a kindly way. From a business perspective customer service is everything. Why then are employees on the “front line”, so to speak, allowed to treat customers with complete disrespect and utter disregard for their value.

Even the lowest man on the employee totem pole should understand the value of meeting the customer’s desires. If the customer isn’t happy, the customer will buy from someone else. If customers are taking their business elsewhere, your company will start losing money. If your company loses money, management starts cracking down on the employees, and in turn, the employees will become even more unhappy with their jobs. In the end, they will treat the customers – who they view as the cause of all their problems – with even less respect than before.

Today, I was pondering the value of the repeat customer and how simple it can be to cause someone to return to your business. Here are a few simple things that any employee can do to help. Treat each customer with the same respect that you would want to be treated. Allow the customer to express their frustration, but don’t take it personally. This will keep you from reacting in a negative way. Instead, listen attentively and offer help and sympathy. Sympathy is perhaps the most important quality to have in customer service. Customers don’t want to be treated like objects. They want you to understand their problem and make it better. If you can do that, you will win a customer for life.

Customer service is the basis for good public relations. It is the most basic level of learning to communicate and appreciating the customer – your livelihood. In my opinion, everyone should at some stage in their life, work in customer service. People would have so much more respect for each other, and everyone would be happier.