Ian Titchener, Director of Telemarketing Matters., writes:
Here at Telemarketing Matters our team always gives 110% to all of our campaigns, doing whatever is needed to make the client happy. We built our company on the principle of being a quality led, customer focused operation. The philosophy has worked and we are still growing.
How many times have you dealt with a new supplier recently and been totally disappointed with the level of service you have received? I recently moved business worth a substantial sum of money to a new supplier. When I had the initial set-up meeting their answer to every question was “yes no problem” and of course when we reached the stage where it was a problem, they totally mishandled the situation and as a result lost our business forever. This was totally the result of their complete lack of internal communication, and is also a very good example of a business that is not focused on its clients.
Being customer focused is not just about being polite on the phone; its a culture that should permeate through the entirety of your business, from the moment you pick up the phone to the first and last time you issue an invoice.
Here are some basics.
- Listen! Don’t ignore it when customers communicate with you, and make sure you listen when your colleagues are talking to you. You have heard the phrase ‘a breakdown of communication’ in reality it's NO COMMUNICATION. Listen to your customers and respond.
- Communicate internally: Here at Telemarketing Matters we have daily team meetings to discuss what is going to happen during the day, and also what happened the previous day. This only takes 20 minutes and is invaluable
- Personal Responsibility: If you see something, take ownership of it, make sure its being dealt with, don’t leave it because you're too busy. You should never be too busy for your clients.
- Are you doing the best that you can; 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? If the answer is no, then change your outlook or go out of business.
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