Time Is Now for the Greenhouse Industry To up Its Customer Service Game
January 24, 2021 If I learned anything during 2020, it was what is essential and what is not. Family is essential. Health and well-being, connection, human touch — they’re all essential. The recent influx of new gardeners and strong and steady plant sales this past year also tell us how essential our industry has been during the COVID-19 pandemic. How do we build on that momentum? I believe one way is to up our customer service game.
When was the last time you had a bad customer service experience? I’ll bet the worst ones linger in your memory. In some cases, maybe the business made things right with you. At other times, you vowed never to walk through the doors of that business again, and you’ve encouraged your friends to do the same.
Bad customer service results in fewer customers and less profit in your pocket. What will people remember about your business? What will they tell their friends about your operation? Word of mouth can grow your business; it can also destroy it, especially in a world where social media exists.
Before the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social media sites, word of mouth — negative or positive — may have been limited to people in a local area. Now it can reach millions.
Did you know that 72% of people get news from friends and family, making word of mouth the most popular channel for sharing, according to the Pew Research Center? Marketing Charts, a hub of marketing data, graphics, and analyses, shared on its website that word of mouth emerged as the leading purchase influencer among Millennials in all categories, and it’s the top influencer for financial products and big-ticket purchases among Boomers.
We keep asking how we can retain the new customers the pandemic has brought us, and how we keep people coming back for more plants. Good customer service creates loyal customers. We create value when we exceed expectations. When we create value, the good becomes great.
The way you treat your customers has far-reaching implications and thus can affect the long-term success of your business. People have a wide range of choices to select from for products and services. Gone are the days of patronizing a company because it was the only one of its kind around. Providing outstanding customer service can set you apart and make you a one-of-a-kind business again.
Think of customer service as a strategy for differentiating your business in a competitive market, and ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I hire the right kind of people to help customers have success?
- Are the people I hired adequately trained and empowered to help customers?
- Do I listen to and welcome customer feedback?
- Do I have the best interests of my customers in mind?
- Do I communicate with my customers enough?
If your answers to these questions are less than stellar, it might be time for a new customer service strategy. At the very least, these questions are a good start in evaluating where you stand in the customer service department and where you need to go.
I love this quote from social media and marketing guru Shahob Mehr: “When you show you have your client’s best interests at heart and when you genuinely root for their success on and off the field, then your brand’s reach is endless.”
Providing outstanding customer service is essential. Consider resolving this year to up your customer service game. Happy growing!
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