The importance of old-fashioned service
Today everything seems to be about the price. The video library has long since disappeared and been replaced by digital, cheaper services such as Netflix. We listen to music via Spotify and we can also do the shopping online via Picnic. On the internet we can use countless price comparators for energy, health insurance and other matters. But while we are shopping somewhere else for a few euros for a product, it doesn't always make us happier. Ultimately we simply want to be helped. It is not only about price, but also about convenience and service. We want to be understood: customer intimacy.
The costumer is king
The credo 'The customer is king' is a good starting point to keep in mind when providing service. Companies that strive for this work on a valuable relationship of trust with the customer. Thanks to this trust relationship, the entrepreneur can offer just a little more than the competitor. After all, the entrepreneur knows what is going on with the customer and how the customer can meet his or her needs.
Customer intimacy
Because service is becoming increasingly important, for many companies it is no longer about the short-term vision or about achieving quick profits. One-off transactions do not keep the company going. Entering into long-term relationships and customer loyalty are the spearheads of a successful company.
Depending on the nature of the company, customization and communication play a very important role. Compare it to the work of a carpenter, where every house has a different construction than another. The product offered is not the same time and time again: customization is required. That includes perfect service and a perfect customer experience.
Convenience and thinking along
In some cases it is not important to be the cheapest. Cheap often turns out to be expensive. Clients just come back for the good service. Entrepreneurs are allowed higher prices if the customer receives a better service in return. The customer is quite willing to do that.
By offering convenience and thinking along, the customer feels welcome at the company. Let's compare the Albert Heijn with the Lidl. Although the Albert Heijn is by definition more expensive than the Lidl, many people still shop at Albert Heijn. That's because there is more convenience at this store, closer because A-locations, free recipes in the Allerhande and well-trained staff. The AH offers binding with its Bonus card and ease of payment by scanning and paying yourself.
Building customer relationships is much more efficient than focusing on a one-off sale. (Photo by Carsten, source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carstenkessler/476214197 below CC 2.0.)
Build customer relationships
Building a sustainable customer relationship is much more cost efficient than one-off sales. It costs more money to make a new customer enthusiastic about your product or service than to make a satisfied customer come back.
You build a customer relationship by, among other things, showing how much knowledge you have and applying it to the situation of the customer. The customer then notes that the company really thinks along and does not just want to sell.
Case: Jaap Wiggers Den Helder contracting company
This article was inspired by the experiences with Jaap Wiggers, construction company Den Helder. Last year he replaced the wooden sill with me, the previous one was rotten. Unsolicited, he also put this in the primer. Very handy, since I was unable to paint the sill directly. So Jaap looked beyond the renovation service to the problem: wood rot. This year it turned out that the bow parts of my bay window were hanging loose, and I already saw the rain. Have new bow parts made, assembled, painted, or opt for the even more expensive trespa. Jaap came to take a look, and saw that it had already been solved with a few screws. It was the nails, not the wood. And in spite of the driving up, according to him, an invoice was not necessary. Make some advertising. So with this: Look for one handyman Den Helder or carpentry company Den Helder? Jaap Wiggers.
Take an extra step
Service is just that extra step. Whoever competes only on the prize becomes exchangeable. After all, the customer goes for the cheapest company: the service will be the same. Good service must be heard in all departments. Not only at customer service, but also at the product management or development department, at the purchasing department and even at the administration. By always moving into the customer, a product or service becomes service-oriented.
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