11 Customer Service Tips to Create Loving Clients

The first thing you may think of when you hear “Customer Service” is the counter at the back of the store where you take product returns or even worse, the department that you sit on hold for. Well, it’s about so much more than department stores and telephone call centers.

In our business of providing User Experience strategy and design for the web, customer service is a holistic approach to managing a relationship that is all about setting expectations, maintaining excellent communications and following up. These are some practices to help create customer satisfaction and delight (the Holy Grail of customer service).

Setting Expectations

From the start of your relationship with a client, there should be clarity in the individual responsibilities of each organization. If you can’t spell everything out with concrete definitions and deliverables, you’ll need to be crystal clear on what isn’t definable (and follow up on that later). You can’t advertise donuts and deliver muffins – that crap doesn’t fly.

Think About What You Say: Sales has nothing to do with the stereotypical greasy-mustached scumbag selling used cars. It’s about establishing a relationship and creating transparency from the start. What you say should inevitably be what you deliver (and more). Great salespeople who believe in their product only need to impart their enthusiasm – there’s no need for any bullshit.

Write it Down: Make sure that all conversations are followed up with something in writing. It can be a project proposal, an email summary of a telephone conversation, or a work order. When the project is in progress, we use Basecamp and change orders to track updates, changes or enhancements to the scope or direction of the project.

Talk About It: After you have it down, make sure that everyone reads (they usually do not) and understands what is being committed.

Maintaining Great Communication

This is everyone’s responsibility. Communication fosters a relationship, and that’s what you want to have with any client that you’re working with. Remember, a relationship is just that – relating to the people that you are working with.

Be a Leader: Know your craft, your timelines, deliverables, and everything else necessary to lead the conversation. Don’t waste anyone’s time.

Have Empathy: Understand that all clients have different levels of knowledge and experience. Work hard to understand their position and how you can relate to them. Great business working relationships are just like meeting anyone new – find the common ground. Luckily, you have something awesome in common – your project!

Communicate Frequently: Regardless of who your client is, there is no such thing as a “hands-off” relationship. Anyone who is giving you their money wants to feel loved. It doesn’t have to be complicated (well, sometimes it does), but it needs to happen. Email, call, IM, or drink beer together – a little personal touch goes a long way.

Be Strong: You are the expert who was hired to create something amazing for your client. Help the client to understand that, and fulfill that role. From a creative standpoint, If you’re just doing what they want you to do, you’re not doing your job.

Embrace Challenges: Almost every project you manage will have its communications breakdowns and misunderstandings. No two people are the same, nor do they communicate in an identical manner. Embrace these circumstances as a way to better connect with your clients and improve your customer service process.

Following Up

When the project has been completed, the relationship is often just hitting its stride. There may not be more work right away, but if you did a phenomenal job and gave great customer service along the way, there will be in the future. Plus, it takes outside evaluation to really have a complete perspective.

How Did it Go?: Sometimes this is an email or a telephone call, and sometimes it’s a conversation to be had over lunch. No matter what, it needs to be done. Clients always feel better about spilling the beans when you don’t hold all of the cards. Encourage them to be honest – it will only make you better.

How Much Do You Really Like Us?: Find out for real – use an efficient survey system like the Net Promoter Score to really discover whether or not you’ve achieved customer service nirvana. If your client will refer you business, you’ve truly succeeded.

We Have Some New Ideas: With the amount of flux in the online business world, there are never-ending opportunities to present new ideas to your existing clients. Brainstorm new ideas for your clients regularly and make sure you set up periodic meetings share them. Businesses that are truly aware of the power of the web will always want to hear your ideas.