Pat Weber
After-sales service is the customer service delivery after a sale is made. This can be in the form of customer training, support by answering questions, handling a complaint or even trouble shooting problems.
Whether an independent professional or an organization of 1,000 people, after-sales service is what keeps customers coming back as well as referring you.
When economy talk is bad, this is often a place to shine and encourage referrals and add on business. When the economy is good pump up and do not skimp on this area because customers communicate lack of service ten times more than they talk about receiving good service.
The customer's expectations go up after a sale. If your main role is selling, you may want to move on to the next prospect. In fact, your ability to deliver service will determine the quality of your customer's relationship and their willingness to buy more, or refer people to you and your company.
- Call or send a handwritten thank you note within 24 to 48 hours to thank your customer for their business. Make a brief reminder about your training, support or other contact information. If you do this one thing, you will be doing what only 1 in 250 people do.
- When a customer calls with questions, they often call the person from whom they bought. If this is not the person delivering customer service - as is often the case in larger companies - the salesperson may want to handle the question on the first round rather than direct them immediately to the “service department.” Once the question is resolved, inform the customer of whom and at what telephone or email they can call for more speedy, in-depth or specific service.
- Consider sending a small gift at a one to three month timeline out, if appropriate. This reinforces your customer’s positive perception of you and your promises made in the selling stage. They know you didn’t just “hit and run.”
- When handling a complaint, a) reframe your thinking that this is a difficult situation, instead of a difficult customer, b) agree, acknowledge or apologize for the fumble without pointing fingers in any direction and c) listen with your ears to how the customer communicates and pace their style.
- Consider holding a customer appreciation event of some kind. This would be a non-selling environment. Consider a get-together to thank your customers for their business, and even possibly allow them to network with your other customers. This kind of gesture can go a long way for after-sales service.
