How to offer a service that your customers will love?

Lately, everyone in business claims to offer a unique, personalized or the best service; but are they really doing it? It is quite common to hear from people you know that they received bad service, and it is rare to hear from someone that they received an excellent service.

Then; what can you do to provide a good service? We will provide you with 6 basic points to achieve it.

Do a memory exercise and it will immediately come to you the time that you were served badly, or they took a long time to serve you, or they gave you a bad face, or it was simply not what you expected.

Surely you said it to everyone, right? "Don't go there because the food is bad, the service is awful", you probably never stopped mentioning it. But, what about good service? There are very few people who take care to advertise it everywhere, and this is because it is the least of what we expect from service. When you go to a business, you expect good treatment from everyone and if it happens, it is not surprising for you.

Think as a customer, imagine that you arrive at your business and you are attended immediately, they help you solve your doubts and even they offer you a promotion. Would you really say that you received an excellent service or the minimum you expect?

Now comes the challenge; How to make the service in your business be remembered? It sounds complex, but it is necessary if you want to stand out from the competition.

It is true that you have a profile of your ideal client (and if you don't, you should work on it), however, none of them have one hundred percent similar preferences, and what might be a good idea for some, for others not so much. So, focus on the similarities you can cover, such as: age, tastes, preferences, what they like about your business, what problem they solve with your product or service.

It is easier to provide a customer service that will make you fall in love, leave a mark and become an important factor among your competitors once you have identified these similarities. Therefore, here are six essential tips to provide a delightful service:

1. Humanize your service‍

Your customers are not just "subjects" that are going to spend their money, deal with them as you do with any friend or known person, take an interest in them, explain them more about your business, offer them something more.

Ask yourself; What do I talk about with the people I care about? Yes, your customers are people you should care a lot about because without them, your business will not prosper.

Imagine that you run a restaurant business; What do you do to talk to your diner without being invasive? You can start with icebreaker questions such as; What are you craving for today?

Once he or she tells you, explain a little about where your ingredients come from or the reason for the menu of the day, that will make your customers interested and ask more questions. In addition to the good food, they will get a good taste for the service.

2. Introduce yourself to your customers‍

Something that many business owners do is to hide under their brand. When you are starting out it is important that you present yourself, that your company or business has a face; approach your customers, ask them their names and make them feel close to your business.

Let them know that you are interested in solving their needs and that you are responsible for doing so. Imagine you go to an establishment and they serve you poorly; Who would you give your comments about it? If the owner or manager showed up, it would be clear to whom you would speak.

3. Be as flexible as you can‍

As far as possible, you can adapt your products or services to meet the needs of each of your customers. If somebody asks you for a specific solution and your product is the closest to what they are looking for; Why don't you make some small adjustments and offer it to them?

For example, let's say you have a restaurant and a diner is allergic to one of the ingredients in a dish. If it is easy for you to remove it so that he can enjoy the dish, then do it and you will see that you will gain a customer and feel that an effort was made for him to enjoy the moment.

However, in case your product or service cannot be adapted, then comment on it directly and tell them why it cannot be done, bluntly and clearly: "we cannot remove this ingredient because it takes away all the flavor, but we can offer you...", see how it is not the same to flatly refuse to give a clear explanation.

4. Solve doubts‍

Many times the customer has doubts about what you are offering or is not very convinced that it is the solution they are looking for, so you can listen and ask the necessary questions to resolve their doubts and bluntly say what it really is.

In case someone asks you a question, the ideal is to answer directly and bluntly, don't try to impress by adding unnecessary information or lies. The only way to not answer is if it is a business secret and even then, your answer should be as follows: I'm sorry, I can't tell you because it is a secret recipe of the company.

As a matter of fact, the problem with today's businesses is that many times they tell the truth at the convenience of each customer. If it really is not the product or service they need, you must be sincere and comment on it, you will see that your customers will appreciate the sincerity you have.

5. Offer alternatives‍

It' s okay to say no to customers, but it is necessary that you explain to them the reason for those refusals, so that they see that it is not a unilateral and meaningless decision, if it is not within your possibilities or the solution causes more of a problem, then you can explain your refusal. Every time you deny something or you can't do it, offer alternatives to solve their problem.

For example, if your product or service is almost impossible to modify, explain the reasons for that. Let's say you have a coffee shop and the cappuccino coffee you prepare does not include extra flavors, if they ask you for it, explain why you prepare it this way: "this recipe allows you to fully appreciate the flavor of the coffee and milk, I invite you to try it, but if you want a drink with a different flavor, I recommend coffee with soda".

6. Start giving the service they deserve

The following common answers can help you to start with the customization of your service, it will seem to everyone that you are thinking of them and it is true, but with each client the service will be adapting and modifying to exceed their expectations.

A clear example of exceptional customer service is to go beyond what they ask for, imagine they call you to help them configure the software you sell, but at that moment they say they get a window that they do not recognize and although it is not part of the installation process, you can help them solve the problem.

A common thing that happens at Clip is that customers call us to help them connect their reader to their smartphone and many times they don't know how to activate their bluetooth, so we help them with it and we don't finish the help until we are sure that they can make transactions.

We do our best within your means to solve the problem you are facing, so that you will remember and recommend us as the solution to your card payment problem. You could also see how far you can go when it comes to exceeding your customers' expectations.

Don't forget that you have a concept of how it is to provide a customized and excellent service, however, ask your customers directly, set up a complaints or suggestions box or if you have the possibility, conduct an online survey. Don't be afraid of what your customers are going to say, if they are trustworthy enough, they will understand that you are interested in providing the best service.

It is costlier to assume that you are providing good service than to learn that you are not meeting expectations, since this could lead to bad publicity among your potential customers. Remember that it is more natural for everyone to talk about a bad service than a good one.

Think of a supplier that provides you with a great service; truly, you will continue working with them for as long as you need them. If you offer a first class service, your customers will think the same, they will continue consuming and spreading the word about the benefits of your service.

Don't forget, every interaction with your customer is an opportunity to offer them a reason beyond your product or service to choose you over the competition. Make this clear to your colleagues, employees and everyone involved in your business to turn the service you offer into a differentiating factor in your industry.