How to Expand Your Business and Maintain Excellent Customer Service

Have you ever walked into a store and immediately felt the employees didn't want you to be there? They could care less about you as a customer and they acted as if you were actually bothering them by making a purchase. As someone who is obsessed with providing excellent customer service, I tend to analyze customer service everywhere I go.

Service is a key element in any business. With such competition in the marketplace, you can't ignore the value of excellent customer service to your bottom line. Customers expect good value for the product or service you provide, and they also expect a certain level of customer service. Service is important; but managing employees and the customer service they provide at multiple locations can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive.

Business owners understand that one of the most difficult components of any business is finding dependable, responsible and effective employees. In fact, one reason many successful business owners do not expand their business is their fear of managing additional employees.

Finding and managing employees is key to why many businesses grow their brand by franchising instead of opening company-owned units. In most cases, a franchise unit is operated by the franchisee. What better person to be responsible for providing excellent customer service and managing employees than the person who has a vested interest in the business?

The franchisor should train the franchisee in the franchisor's expected level of customer service and specific company customer-service guidelines. For example, at tumble & tea café we greet all customers within 30 seconds of entering the cafe; we are happy to remake any item to satisfy our customers; and we will replace anything that is dropped or spilled free of charge. (For a cafe with an indoor playground for kids, this happens often.)

Franchisors often make on-site visits to the franchised units to provide additional training and review operations. Continual training and reviews help your brand maintain its standard of operations along with your brand's quality, consistency and customer-service levels. This promotes returning customers, increases profits and a creates a stronger brand--which can result in an increased number of units.

Wondering about the customer service your employees provide your customers? Here are some basic customer-service tips that any business can use.

1. Welcome. Say hi, welcome, come on in! Greet all of your customers on the phone or walking in your door. This makes people feel that they are seen and will be taken care of.
   
   
2. Knowledge. Train your employees in the basics of your business before they are allowed to interact with customers. Nothing is worse than asking an employee if the business is open on Sunday and finding that the employee not only doesn't know the answer, he or she doesn't offer to find out for you.
   
   
3. Up sale. If applicable, offer more. Most customers want a drink; they just forget to ask. Help your customers by providing additional suggestions.
   
   
4. Thank you. Saying thank you might sound like basic manners, but you'd be surprised by how many people forget to thank their customers. Thank your customers and mean it--they are the reason you are there!
   

What are your customer service pet peeves? Let me know.